


Autumn of '84

by strawberryfire



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Billy Hargrove Being Less of an Asshole, Canon Rewrite, Childhood Friends, Childhood Trauma, F/F, F/M, Gay Billy Hargrove, Gay Will Byers, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Internalized Homophobia, Lesbian Maxine "Max" Mayfield, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Period-Typical Homophobia, Steve Harrington Has a Better Backstory, Tommy and Heather are siblings, Tommy is Heather’s brother, more teen focused
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-01 06:37:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21421393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberryfire/pseuds/strawberryfire
Summary: New powers, new mysteries and of course, more pining on the popular kids you can't be friends with.Or, to put it simply, me re-writing season 2 with better backstories and everyone is gay.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley & Original Character(s), Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 9
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter One: Where You From, Loser?

**Author's Note:**

> yoyo pals i suck at summaries cant you tell. anyway,,,yeah i really hope this goes well lmao. if you want to know more about bonnie, i have a character outline for her and everything on my tumblr! she is my bby. 
> 
> tw for homophobic slurs in this chapter!
> 
> also,,this whole book will be more centered around the teens, meaning i won't really write about El going to Chicago bc y'all already know how that jazz goes. 
> 
> enter shameless self-promo:
> 
> tumblr- harringrovesfawcettspray  
twitter- scpsahoyy

_ Hawkins _ _ , Indiana _

_ October 1984 _

It’s a bright, normal, boring day in the suburban streets of Loch Nora. A bright pink alarm clock starts ringing down the hallway of 2521 Brookshire Run, followed by _ My Sharona _blasting from a radio.

“Shit!” Two kids both shout at the same time as they clamber out of bed.

“I told you to change the damn song, Bon!” Steve groans as he goes out to the stair landing where the radio sits. He dramatically slams his hand down on the pause button and huffs before making his way back to his room to get dressed.

“It’s a song we both hate, Stevie. I think it’s effective.” Bonnie says from her vanity, taking out the Benders hair curlers from her hair.

Steve pulls on a polo after nearly falling flat on his face trying to put his jeans on, “I’d rather listen to Tiffany!” 

“Stop shitting on Tiffany!” Bonnie retorts, putting on her ugly Hawkins High green cheerleading joggers and sweater.

“I’ll shit on whoever I want, hurry up, we gotta pick up Nance!” Steve complains. 

Bonnie rolls her eyes and takes longer than usual tying up her shoes. She grabs her backpack and buttons her gloves, getting into the passenger side of Steve’s BMW.

Steve is already sitting on the driver's side, fixing his hair and the collar of his shirt.

“You look_ fine _ dingus. _Drive_, I don’t want to be late.” Bonnie pulls down the visor and puts on lip gloss.

“You look fine dingus.” He replies in a high pitched mocking tone.

Bonnie sticks her tongue out at him and Steve drives off towards Maple Street.

“I still think you could do better than that Wheeler geek. I mean, seriously.” She pops a piece of bubblegum in her mouth, “She is _ such _ a priss.”

“And? So are you.”

Bonnie gasps, “Not even!”

“Even. Now, get in the back, I want Nance to sit next to me.”

Bonnie stares at her brother like he’s insane, “_ Nobody _ puts me in the backseat.” 

“Well, I do.” He parks in the Wheeler’s driveway. 

Bonnie crosses her arms and smacks her gum obnoxiously, turning her head away from Steve. She doesn’t move.

“Bonnie.”

She checks her nails.

“_ Bonnie _.”

Nancy walks out, her stupid hair perfectly curled and sweater brand new, books in hand. 

“_ Nobody _ puts Bonnie in the corner, Steven.” 

Steve sighs then leans back and opens the door, “Morning, babe. Sorry, _ someone _ won’t move.”

Nancy smiles, her voice just so perfectly soft, “Oh, that’s okay, Stevie. I brought you your favorite bagel.” 

“Bacon, egg and cheese?”

“On sesame.” She’s still just got this million-dollar smile on her face and Bonnie _ hates _ it.

“God, you’re the best.” Steve smiles, driving to school.

Bonnie rolls her eyes again as Nancy goes on about the essay they had due on Monday. Steve was dead worried about it, complaining that he kept misspelling things and didn’t understand the book they were reading. It was Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, one of Bonnie’s favorite books that she could read entire paragraphs from by memory. 

“And Henry is the one who tries to propose to Fanny, but she says no every time,” Nancy says as she’s discussing the book with Steve.

“Um, _ no _. It was his brother, William. Henry helped William get a promotion in the Navy, then he proposed to Fanny. She was humiliated and she refuses, but William keeps asking her. Then because Fanny says no to such a wealthy man, she gets sent away to live with her parents in an unkempt home.”

Nancy looks a little shocked, “Oh. Sorry, yeah you’re right.” 

Bonnie blows a bubble with her gum then pops with a loud snap, “I know I am.” 

Steve rolls his eyes and Nancy just keeps _ smiling _.

He finally parks right next to where Tommy Holloway stands at his car at the already full Hawkins High.

“Hey Steve!” Tommy grins, “Got ya girls in tow?”

“Blow yourself, Holloway.” Bonnie scoffs, walking over to Heather and Carol with her bag.

“Morning, Bonnie.” Both girls say in unison, wearing the same cheer uniforms and their hair curled with milky pearls around their necks. 

Bonnie leans against Carol’s car and lights a cigarette, “Morning, losers. Steve almost made me sit in the backseat, can you _ believe _ him? And, of course, prissy brought breakfast for _ him _ but not me.”

Heather gasps dramatically, “That’s, like, so grody dude. She totally sucks.”

“I know right?” Bonnie huffs, blowing out smoke.

The group gets startled by the roaring sound of a car engine as a Camaro with a California license place on the front. It parks beside Carol’s car and a redhead kid gets out holding a skateboard with the most annoyed look on her face as she walks over to the middle school.

“Woah, it looks like we got some new kids on the block,” Tommy says, looking over at the Camaro.

Then, _ then, _walks out this 6 foot something beauty with dull but fiery blue eyes, west coast golden curls and danger floating from the smoke on his lips.

“Oh. My. God.” Heather whispers.

The blue eyes meet the gaze of Bonnie and her mind starts rushing like the waves on a stormy day.

He doesn’t move, looking at the brunette, searching for why he seemed to know who this girl was. Steve walks up behind his sister because he _ knows _ this boy too. 

A few minutes of silence, then, Bonnie says hushed, “Billy…?”

Billy walks over to where the two are standing, “There is no _ way _ that’s you.” 

Bonnie gets this grin across her face, and everyone stares at her in shock since no one _ ever _ saw her smile because Bonnie Harrington does _ not _ smile, “It is, Hargrove.”

It finally clicks in Steve’s head and he’s grinning ear to ear, “Billy Hargrove!”

The siblings laugh and almost knock Billy over with the hug they give him.

After Billy pulls away, he looks down at Bonnie’s gloves then up at her face then at Steve, “Jesus. You two look amazing, what the fuck happened to me?”

Bonnie giggles, “You have a mullet, so there’s your first problem.” 

Billy just scoffs then gives Bonnie another hug, this time letting it linger, “I’m so glad you’re alive.” He mutters into her hair.

“Me too.” She mutters back, giving him a squeeze before letting go.

Bonnie excitedly introduces the west coast newcomer to everyone but leaves out Nancy before saying they had to get to class.

“This your girlfriend, Stevie-O?” Billy nods towards Nancy as they walk inside to their lockers.

“Yep.” Steve hasn’t stopped grinning.

“Nancy Wheeler, nice to meet you.” She shakes Billy’s hand and he smiles back at her.

“Taking Bon doesn’t like you?”

Nancy shrugs, “She has her moments.”

Billy gets a feeling that Nancy _ knows _ but he’s barely met the girl, let _ alone _ even deem her close enough to talk about such a touchy subject, even if she _ did _ know.

“So where you from, loser?” Tommy asks, taking a bite from Steve’s bagel. 

“Hey!” Steve pouts.

Billy chuckles, “San Diego. Stevie’s never talked ‘bout me?”

“Nah, not a lick.”

“Not true!” Steve pouts more and Billy laughs under his breath because, oh for _ sure, _ his dork of a friend hasn’t changed a _ bit _. 

“I ain’t offended, Stevie.”

The bell rings and Bonnie waves bye to Billy before disappearing down the science hallway. 

Billy sits beside Steve in a boring as _ hell _ calculus class and Steve is trying his hardest to contain how _ happy _ he was that _ Billy fucking Hargrove _ was sitting beside him, in _ Hawkins, _ in _ Indi- fucking-ana, _when he hadn’t seen this kid since Steve was nine and Billy was eight. 

Steve catches glimpses at the Malibu Barbie, who’s staring forward. He’s different, not only his looks but his personality and honestly everything about him. Different.

The teacher, Mrs. Honey, lets them start doing problems together as a group and Steve being Steve takes this opportunity to talk about everything _ but _ the rate of change questions on the papers in front of them.

“So. I did _ not _ expect to see you here, Harrington. How have you been?”

Steve eats the last bit of his bagel, “Oh, y’know. Livin’ the damn _ dream _ . Why the hell are _ you _ here?”

“Neil’s new girl is from here or some shit. She insisted that we move to this place, ranting on about how she wants to raise Maxine where her family is from. I dunno, it’s all bullshit.”

Steve looks at Billy confused, “Maxine?”

“Yeah. My little bitch of a step-sister. Love her, though. Five-foot three can of fuckin’ whoop-ass. Scares me sometimes.” 

He laughs a little, “Oh yeah, Bon’s the same way.”

There’s a few beats, the question Billy’s dying to know the answer to hanging in the air above him. Steve knows what Billy wants to say, but he’s not sure how to say it and Steve’s not sure what to say either.

“How...how is she?” Billy finally asks while also working on the sheets that were passed out.

“Um...she’s herself. A lot...I guess a lot more angry than usual. Really doesn’t talk about..._ it _.”

Billy just nods.

“I’ve, like, missed you, dude,” Steve says out of nowhere.

Billy smiles a little, “Missed you too, kid.”

“I’m no kid, not anymore at least.” 

Billy raises an eyebrow, “Oh really? How can you prove that?”

“I totally ain’t scared of Goosebumps anymore.”

Billy laughs a little, shaking his head, “I don’t believe you for a second. You used to cry over that shit, Stevie.”

Steve gives a little smirk, “I’ve seen stranger things, Billy.”

\-----

_ Ms. Click’s class, 2nd period _

Bonnie, Heather, and Carol saunter into class two minutes late, knowing Ms. Clickity Clackity wouldn’t say a word. The girls sit in their regular spots, right in the middle, next to Steve and now Billy, with the band dweebs that sat in their own group beside them.

When it was announced they were to go over what they learned last semester, which was Romeo and Juliet, the whole class groaned. 

However, one band dweeb in particular, Robin Buckley, noticed the very small twitch of a smile on Bonnie Harrington’s face. Robin smiles to herself, knowing that the queen of Hawkins High _ loved _ Shakespeare. 

“If everyone could please get out all their materials from said lesson like you were supposed to, that would be lovely.” Ms. Click says.

Steve mutters, “Shit.” 

“Now who would like to read the prologue?”

Silence.

“Steve, why don’t you?”

Every single pair of eyes are on him and he gulps, “Oh..um..I don’t..”

“Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; whose misadventures piteous overthrows. Do with their death bury their parent's strife the fearful passage of their death marked love and the continuance of their parent's rage which but their children's end not could remove is now the two hours traffic of our stage. The which of you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.” Bonnie cuts in, her head held high, not a single paper on her desk. Not a hint of any expression on her face but pride in the fact that she recited that like it was the words she lived by. 

Ms. Click nods her head, “Thank you very much, Bonnibelle.” 

“You’re welcome. And it’s _ Bonnie _ , get it _ right _.”

She just nods again and continues on with the lesson.

Steve lets out a deep sigh and whispers to Bonnie, “You are a Godsend.”

“Don’t mention it, dingus.” She whispers back.

Bonnie chews on her 5th piece of gum and picks at her nails, zoning out of Click’s lecture. It was stuff Bonnie already knew; she could recite Romeo and Juliet _ word _ for _ word. _

_“ _Ms. Harrington, could you please read from act two scene six?”

Bonnie looks up from Mansfield Park, “What?”

“I asked you to read from act two scene six, please.” She repeats, a sly grin on her face knowing that Bonnie didn’t have the book and wouldn’t be able to know the exact words. 

Bonnie clears her throat, “Amen, amen, Romeo says, But come what sorrow can, It cannot countervail the exchange of joy that one short minute gives me in her sight. Do thou but close our hands with holy words; then love-devouring death do what he dare; It is enough I may but call her mine. Then Friar Lawrence says one of the best lines in the whole play; These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and power, which as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness. Would you like me to continue?”

Ms. Click stares at her dumbfounded then looks down at her copy of the book, then back up at Bonnie, “That’s the um...original text.”

“Yeah, and?”

“I’m simply just impressed, Ms. Harrington.”

“Thank you.” Bonnie tries to hide how over the moon happy she was that someone, _ someone, _ was _ proud _ of her and goes back to reading her Jane Austen book.

\---

_ Hawkins High, end of the school day _

Bonnie stands at her locker, Carol beside her.

“Ugh, I don’t want to go to cheer practice tonight. We have to share the field with the dweebs.”

“Excuse me, _ what? _” Bonnie squeaks.

“Yeah, I know right. It, like, completely bangs.”

Bonnie huffs and whines as Steve walks up with Billy, both wet from the showers after basketball. 

“What’s your damage, Bon?’ Steve asks, taking a sip from his water bottle.

“We have to share the field with the nerds!” 

“Oh, you’ll _ live _.” Billy ruffles her hair and she crosses her arms.

“Eat. My. _ Shorts.” _She snaps in his face, her teeth ground together.

“Calm down, Bon, he was only joking.”

Carol links her arm with Bonnie’s, “C’mon, let’s go get a slushie.” 

\--

Billy sits on the back of Steve’s beemer beside him as a blur of fiery red hair comes running over to Billy, a smile on her face.

“Hey there shitbird!” He gives her a fist bump, “School boring?”

“Yeah, totally sucks. Made some nerd friends, though, so I’m not alone.” She turns to Steve, “Wait, is this the dude you show me in pictures all the time? Wonderboy or whatever?”

Billy blushes a little behind his cigarette smoke, “It’s Steve, Maxie.”

“Nice to meet you, kiddo.” Steve says, taking a hit of his own cig. 

“Can we go to the arcade? _ Please _?” Max begs in the most annoying tone possible.

“If Steve can come. I’ll show you how kickass he is at Street Fighter.”

Steve laughs, “I don’t have that in me anymore, I’m old.”

Billy hits Steve’s arm, “Sure you do, pretty boy. Mad Max _ is _the queen of it, though. You’ll have tough competition.”

Max grins, knowing Billy is right.

Steve laughs again, and since he is _ always _ up for competition, “Bring it on, _ Mad Max _.”

As their driving to the arcade, Max sits on the passenger side with a smirk on her face.

“Whatcha smirkin’ about, little shit?”

“Pretty boy? Really?”

Billy blushes, really does this time, “Shut up, I’ll punch you.”

She laughs, “No no, I think it’s super cute. You two would be cute together.”

“You say a _ single _ suggestive thing to him and I’ll _ deck _ you. I _ cannot _ fuck this up, you hear me?”

Max salutes to him, “Aye, cap’n.”

\---

_ Hawkins High football field, after practice _

Robin wasn’t going to admit to _ anyone, _ not even to her best friend Tammy who was the only person in the entire world that knew of Robin’s sexuality, that her newfound girl crush was the queen of Hawkins, who was _ strictly _ off-limits to even the boys. There was a rumor that had flown around for months that she had dated Tommy Holloway and a huge fight happened at some Halloween party. Apparently Tommy left with a black eye and literal _ burns _ on his arms. Whenever either of them was asked about, they acted like they were clueless. 

Robin watches Bonnie almost the entire practice, watching her do these jumps and flips that made Robin’s heart skip a beat every time Bonnie was thrown up into the air like a sack of potatoes. 

She watches how Bonnie just has the dead look on her face. Her eyes speak a million words and Robin wonders how much Bonnie knows. She knows that Bonnie has read every single Jane Austen book at least five times over each.

But, of course, Bonnie has no idea who Robin Buckley is. To her, Robin is one of the loser band kids that sits next to her in English and French.

“Tell me it’s not her, Robs,” Tammy says in a pleading tone.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Robin mumbles, cleaning out her flute.

“Bonnie Harrington.”

“What about her?”

“You like her.”

“And? You like her brother.”

Tammy sighs, “Touche. But, seriously, you could do better. She is the biggest priss in this entire town. Literally no one likes her.” 

“I’ve heard she’s actually quite nice.”

“Exclusively to Steve. She is legit only nice to her brother. Maybe Carol and Heather too.”

“Also, I can’t do better, this is fucking Hawkins.”

“Touche, again.”

In the locker room, Bonnie stands in the back next to her minions smoking a cigarette. 

“I’ll see you guys tonight at my place?” Carol asks, putting on her sweater.

Heather tightens her ponytail, “Yeah, totes. I’ve been needing a drink.”

“Rad. What about you, Bonnie?”

She stares blankly ahead at the lockers, “I’m good. I’m catching up with Billy.”

Carol shrugs, “Suit yourself. I think you’re trying to get in his pants.”

Bonnie doesn’t reply and takes in a drag of her cig.

“Dodged a bullet there, Caro.” Robin hears Heather mumble as they walk past.

Bonnie pulls her hair up and takes off her joggers then puts on overalls over the Hawkins High cheerleading sweater with her name written in pretty cursive. 

The locker room ends up empty, besides Bonnie and Robin.

Bonnie walks by her then stops and turns around, “I saw you watching me, you’re not good at being discreet. Stop stalking me, dyke.” Then she stomps off.

Robin stands there in shock.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter Two: Get Wasted, Priss!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Halloween night and shit just always has to go down at Tina’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i’ve kinda decided that i won’t be focusing on the party thaaaaat much since y’all already know what happens with the party but they’ll def have more time in the next few chapters!! mostly so i can write cute elmax and byler content 🤧🤧

_ The Harrington’s_

“And, finally, this is Will,” Steve says, ruffling Will’s hair.

Billy gives the kid a fistbump, “Zombie boy, right?”

Will kinda smiles and nods, “That’s me.”

“Don’t call him that, it’s not nice.” Wheeler pouts.

“I think it’s kinda funny,” Will says.

“Yo, Billy!” Bonnie shouts from upstairs.

“Yeah?”

“You comin’ to Tina’s Halloween party with us tonight? I need a date!”

Billy rolls his eyes, knowing that this shithole isn’t San Diego and the parties here are probably terrible, “Nah, I’m probably gonna stay in!”

  
Oh, but _then_, Bonnie walks downstairs dressed as Lisa from Weird Science, her hair curly around her face with bright red lips and the leotard clinging to her hips.

Billy mutters under his breath, “_ Oh _.” He clears his throat, “Uh, yeah. Yeah I’ll go.”

The Wheeler kid chokes on his orange juice and the other boys just _ stare _. Billy notices Max staring too.

Steve smiles, “Great choice, Bon.”

“Thanks, bro.” She shoves Steve’s shoulder, “You look basic, who are you supposed to be?” 

Steve pouts and crosses his arms, “Tom Cruise, y’know from Risky Business. Billy’s isn’t any better.”

Bonnie shrugs, “He looks hot.”

Steve huffs, “Don’t try to steal Nance from me.”

Billy smirks and wraps his arm around Bonnie’s waist, “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

“And you better not hurt my sister, or I’ll chop your dick off.”

“Take a chill pill, dude.”

Bonnie just rolls her eyes and prys her way out of Billy’s arms then turns towards the group of kids who are also in their costumes, “You guys sure you’ll be alright by yourselves?”

They all nod.

Bonnie puts full-sized candy bars in each of the kid's bags, “Stay safe, alright? You’ll get the best candy in this neighborhood, Max. Also, sick costume.” 

Max blushes and smiles, “Thanks, Bon.”

She pushes them out of the door, “Go on, go be kids.”

They all wave goodbye before making their way over to the first house.

Nancy walks down the street in a pretty freshly steamed white blouse, her hair blowing in the wind like some damn movie scene.

The three teens stand outside and Steve stares at Nancy with his big lovey dovey gaze like he always does. Bonnie does too, and Billy notices this. Notices the way that Bonnie is staring then looking down at her feet, fidgeting with her hair and the cuffs of her gloves.

“Hey guys.” Nancy says happily with a smile.

“I gotta give it to ya, Stevie, you two look pretty kickin’.”

Steve grins, “Thanks. It took some convincing for Nance to match, but y’know she loves me so.”

Nancy rolls her eyes playfully, “It’s only because I had no other ideas.”

“Ouuch.” 

They all get in Steve’s beemer, with Billy in the back with Bonnie.

Nancy goes on about how she has to be home at a certain time and she couldn’t drink that much since she had stuff to do the next day.

“Fuckin’ road kill.” Bonnie mumbles, but loud enough for Billy to hear so he laughs.

“What?” Nancy asks, a bit of annoyance in her voice.

“I _ said _ you’re fucking road kill.” 

Nancy rolls her eyes again.

“Be careful, priss, don’t want your eyes gettin’ stuck like that.”

Nancy scoffs and crosses her arms across her chest.

Bonnie cracks a tiny smile and mimics Nancy, “Oh look at _ me _ , I’m perfect Nancy Wheeler, I’m a big fuckin’ baby, oh, I’m _ so _ cool I’m dating King Steve!” 

Billy snorts and laughs, “King Steve! That’s the funniest fuckin’ thing I’ve ever heard!”

Nancy has this scowl on her face and that just makes Bonnie laugh as loud as Billy.

Steve sighs, “You two quit it and be nice.”

“Don’t think so, King Steve.” Billy says, tears in his eyes. Bonnie squeaks and falls against Billy’s shoulder, gripping her stomach.

“It’s not that funny.” Steve says deadpan.

Bonnie takes a deep breath and wipes her eyes, “Oh, holy shit. What did you put in this cig, Billy?’

Billy giggles like a little kid, “That’s weed, dingus.”

Nancy’s eyes widen and Bonnie gasps overdramatically, “Oh! Oh no! What is Mrs. Wheeler gonna say!”

The two both bust out laughing again, doubling over each other in the backseat.

“I said no weed, guys!” Nancy huffs as Steve parks at Tina’s.

“Road kill!” Bonnie cackles all high pitched, “Have fun and get fuckin’ _ wasted _ , you _ priss _.”

“It’s okay babe, I have some cologne okay?”

Billy gets out of the car, taking Bonnie’s hand and leading her out.

Tommy wolf whistles, “Hot fuckin’ _ damn _, Bon! Lookin’ good!”

Bonnie giggles, “Thanks, but ya sister is cuter!” She keeps giggling when Billy drags her inside, immediately making his way over to the punch bowl.

_ Loch Nora, 9:30pm _

“Jesus, I’m gonna get diabetes.” Max giggles as she peeks into her pillowcase full of candy. 

“It’ll be so worth it, though.” Lucas smiles, not taking his eyes off the redhead beside him.

“He’s got it bad.” Mike whispers to Will and he nods in agreement, “Totally.”

As they’re walking, Will feels it getting colder and colder. The boys get ahead, going to a house they knew would have full size Hershey bars.

He blinks just for a second and when his eyes open back up, he’s _ there. _

He’s got _ nothing _ to protect him and then he starts hearing these little chittering noises coming from every direction. 

“Mike!” He calls out, voice shaking. “_ Mike _!”

Then there's a deep humming sound, like a hurricane, slowly but surely building up and _ up _ to this _ giant soulless monster. _

It turns around and it _ looks _ at Will. It stays put, but oh _ God, _ it _ saw _ him. 

“Mike!!” Will screams, even though he _knows_ Mike _can’t_ _hear_ him.

Whatever the _ thing _ is, it’s starts moving towards him and Will just _ runs. _

He runs and runs and runs and _ then, _

“Will! Will, hey, hey, it’s okay, what’s wrong?” 

He looks up at Mike’s worried eyes and tries to talk, tries to _ tell him. _

“Holy _ shit _is he okay?” Dustin asks, running up to them with the rest of the group.

“I don’t know, it’s okay, I’m gonna get you home, okay?” Mike puts his arm around Will and he stands up, “We’re gonna go home, alright?”

Will just nods, not letting go from Mike’s arm. 

“Oh, c’mon, we’re not even halfway through the neighborhood!” Dustin whines.

“Well, I’m bored anyway and Will’s obviously scared. Just...just go on without me, dude.”

Mike then makes his way back to his house, not letting go of Will.

“What happened?” Mike asks softly. 

Will just looks at Mike, the halloween decorations flickering in his eyes. And Will starts to think he’s speechless because of _ Mike, _but that couldn’t be true.

“Did you see something?” Mike asks again, opening the front door and waving to his mom before quickly going downstairs to avoid any questions.

Will sits down on the couch, “I just...I was _ there _ again.”

Mike flops beside him, “There?”

Couple beats of silence then, “Upside Down.”

Mike’s eyes widen, “_ Oh.” _

Will shakily sighs and Mike rests his head on Will’s shoulder. Will feels his heart beating a million miles a minute and he’s praying Mike can’t hear. 

“I’m sure it was nothing…”  
  
“Just don’t tell the others okay? They wouldn’t understand..I mean understand it like you do.”  
  
Mike nods, “Yeah...El would understand.”

And just like a firework dying out, Will’s heart sinks to his feet and stops beating like a drum in his ear. He knew, like a million times before, that he was getting his hopes up.

“Yeah.” Is all Will says.

“Sometimes I think she’s here or some shit. I swear to God, I’m going crazy.”

“I think I’m going crazy too.” Will mumbles.

Mike looks up at Will with a smile, “We’re gonna go crazy together, right?’

Will feels like throwing up and his heart is beating in his ears again, “Yeah, crazy together.”

  
_Tina’s Halloween Party, 11:15pm_

Bonnie’s entire body hurts from laughing too hard and she’s starting to come down from the high she had been chasing all night. Billy is outside somewhere, probably drinking too much beer.

Steve is dancing in the living room with Nancy, a smug smirk on her face as she sips on her tenth solo cup full of punch.

Bonnie huffs, knowing this was the one night of the year that she could get whoever she wanted, and that _ included _ girls. This was the _ one night, _besides New Years, that every teen in Hawkins got so fucking wasted they would forget everything the next day. Yet here she was, sitting alone and getting drunk on shitty drinks.

She sighs and looks around, trying to find someone who wasn’t complete _ trash. _ She soon finds the eyes of a pretty girl with dark lipstick in the corner, who was dressed in a skin-tight leather jacket and overalls, decked out in necklaces and rings. She had eyeliner and purple eyeshadow smeared on but she made it look _ so good. _

Bonnie makes her way over to the pretty punk in the corner, “Hey there, this your costume?”

The girl smirks a little, “Nah, these are my normal clothes.”

Bonnie looks at her black nails then back up to her dark red lips, “I like it.”

Punk girl looks Bonnie up and down, letting out a quiet sigh, “Not lookin’ too bad yourself.” 

Bonnie giggles, still a little high and a little tipsy, then puts up a peace sign and sticks her tongue out. 

The punk raises her eyebrow, “Y’know, I was forced to come to this party and now I am _ not _ complaining.” 

Bonnie giggles more and easily slips past the crowd of drunk teens as she makes her way upstairs, her hand intertwined with the pretty girl from the corner.

—

Bonnie tumbles downstairs about 30 minutes later, the taste of cherry and whiskey on her lips. She was so _ love drunk _ over this girl and when she pours herself some punch, she realizes she didn’t get the name of the punk that just gave her the best 30 minutes of her _ life _. 

Bonnie goes to try and find her, but then she sees Jonathan making his way over to her and she sighs, knowing she was still high which meant she would be _ nice. _

She fucking _ hated _being nice. 

Jonathan looks her up and down, “Well damn.”

Bonnie pulls herself up on the counter and blows out smoke from her probably 20th cigarette, “_ Jesus _, can’t a girl dress like a slut in peace?”

He throws his hands up in surrender, “Sorry.”

“You’re not but whatever.” She looks over at Nancy, who’s all dopey grins and stupid dance moves, then back at Jonathan, “The fuck you s’pposed to be anyway?” 

“A loser who hates parties.”

Bonnie fills up her cup again and half-heartedly giggles, “S’stupid.”

“You’re pretty when you smile, Bon.”

She rolls her eyes and sips her drink, swaying her feet back and forth, “Even better when I’m smiling over your body from when I punch you in the face, Byers.” She gasps and covers up her mouth before busting out laughing. 

Jonathan rolls his eyes and Nancy makes her way to where they’re standing, filling up her cup again.

Bonnie giggles, “Prissy is drunk!” 

Nancy full on _ shouts, _ “Oh my _ God, _ shut the fuck _ up _, Bonnibelle!”

Bonnie and everyone else at the party goes _ silent. _

“Stop being such a bitch! You don’t run the world!” She dumps her drink on top of Bonnie’s head then storms off to the bathroom and slams the door _ hard _, making Bonnie’s whole body jump.

She just sits there, her hands shaking.

Billy pushes people over trying to get to her, “Steve, go fucking talk to your piece of shit girlfriend. I’m taking Bonnie home.”

Steve balls his hands into fists and his ears turn red, then takes a deep breath and nods before going over to the bathroom.

“Billy you’re _ way _ too drunk,” Heather says, putting her arm around Bonnie, “I got her okay?”

Billy tries not to get mad and sighs, “Fine.”

Bonnie is still dead silent and her hands are still shaking as Heather holds her, helping her into the car. She sees the punk girl and tries to say something, but only a sob comes out. 

“Nancy, what the hell is wrong with you?” Steve says and leans against the door, “That was _ so _ uncalled for.”

“Uncalled for?! _ That _ was uncalled for? Your sister is the biggest fuckin’ _ bitch. _ ” She tries to put her hand on the counter but almost falls, so she holds onto Steve’s arm, “She’s _ bullshit. _ Both of you, both of you...fuckin’, fucking _ bullshit. _ You’re both the same! Just...just _ bullshit. _”

Steve just looks at her completely confused. 

“_ We’re _bullshit. You’re bullshit.”

“What…?”

“_ You’re _ bullshit. You always fucking act like we didn’t...we didn’t _ kill _ Barb...and it’s, it’s _ your _ fault. Like...like we’re in _ love _ and all that shit.”

Steve heart shatters and he stares at her, “_ Like _ we’re in love…?”

“It’s _ bullshit.” _ She continues to mumble, splashing her face with water.

And now, _ now _ all Steve needs is a wall to punch but this isn’t his house and so he doesn’t do what he so desperately wants to. Instead, he storms out, grabs Billy’s arm and puts him in the beemer. 

“Dude you’re so fucking red, what did she say?”

And it’s hitting him now, fuck, it’s washing over him like a hurricane. He doesn’t say anything and just drives.

“Steve?”

“She doesn’t love me.”

Billy frowns, “Oh…”

He parks on Loch Nora and grips the steering wheel, “She doesn’t love me.”

“She’s...she was drunk, Steve, I’m sure she loves you.”

Steve gets out and slams the car door shut behind him and Billy follows.

Bonnie runs into her brother's arms and cries so hard Billy’s afraid she’ll pass out. 

Steve stands there holding her, crying silently with her.

Billy drinks some water and splashes his face then walks over to them, “C’mon, let’s get you two to bed okay?”

Bonnie whispers, “I deserved it.”

Billy shakes his head, “Don’t worry about all that, bunny.” He helps them both upstairs and does his best to get the sticky punch out of Bonnie’s hair before changing her into the extra hoodie he had. 

She flops back in her queen size bed, Steve falling beside her.

Bonnie clings to her brother's arm and instantly falls asleep. Billy turns to leave and Steve grabs the edge of his jacket, “Stay.” He whispers. 

Billy takes off his jacket and lays down beside Steve, who rests his head on Billy’s shoulder.

Billy smiles, “Just like the old days.” 

Steve messes with Billy’s pendant, “Yeah…”

“Get some sleep, pretty boy.”

Steve hums and closes his eyes, clinging to Billy like his life depended on it. 


	3. Chapter Three: West Coast Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apologies are made and punches are thrown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a shitty chapter whoops but anyway hope ya like it!

_ San Diego, California _

_ September 1975 _

“Billy, c’mon!” Steve shouts from his bedroom window. 

“I’m comin’, hold your horses!” Billy shouts back from his house, sliding on his flip flops before running down the stairs to the back patio.

“Be back by 7, little one.” Mrs. Hargrove says, ruffling Billy’s hair. He grins up at her and nods, “Will do, momma!”

Steve is already waiting on the boardwalk, his bright blue surfboard in hand. He waves with an ear to ear grin. 

Mrs. Cathy sits on the patio with Billy’s mom, sipping her drink. Bonnie is sat beside them, quietly playing jacks by herself. 

“Bonnie you comin’?” Billy asks.

She looks up at him, “Maybe tomorrow.”

Billy pouts, “That’s what you always say.”

She pouts back, “I’m sorry.” 

“Go on with them, sweetie, why don’t you get some seashells for momma?” Mrs. Cathy says with a smile, handing Bonnie a yellow pail. 

Bonnie looks at it, then back up at Billy, “Okay.” She takes the bucket and walks towards the beach. 

Steve is still grinning, Billy’s _ sure _ his cheekbones must be hurting, “Comin’ surfin with us, bunny?” 

She shakes her head, “Getting shells.”

Steve huffs, “You’re no _ fun _ anymore.”

“The water is too cold.” She says, taking off her shoes once they get to the sand.

“But you’ll surf when it gets warmer right?”

Bonnie just shrugs and starts looking for sand dollars. 

“I’ll race ya, Stevie!” Billy runs off into the water and Steve whines, running after him, complaining Billy got a headstart.

Bonnie watches from the shore, standing just shy of where the waves met the sand, so desperately wanting to join her brother and best friend in the water. 

She looks down at the “_ 001” _on her wrist, then back up at Steve grinning as bright as the sun and Billy laughing as Steve pushes him over so he falls off his board. 

\------

_ The Harrington’s _

_ November 1st, 1984 _

Billy stands in the kitchen of the very empty feeling home of his best friends. He looks around at how the living room looks like everything _ besides _ that. It looks like nobody even sits on the fancy couch and the La-Z-Boys look brand new. The pictures are all collecting dust and so are the paintings Steve said were from Europe. 

Billy thinks about how their house back in California was like something from a Southern Living magazine. The concrete steps had Steve’s and Bonnie’s handprints on them since their dad had built the house from the foundation up. There were windows in every room, drawings and their mom’s oil paintings all over the walls. It was home, this place in Loch Nora definitely wasn’t.

Steve comes downstairs with tear stains on his cheeks and puffy eyes.

“Mornin’, Stevie. Made you some coffee and pancakes.”

“Chocolate chip?” He mumbles, messing with his bed hair.

Billy smiles and takes a sip from his coffee, trying to nurse his own hangover, “Yep, used momma’s recipe.”

Then Steve gets this sleepy grin and it makes Billy’s stomach do flips, “Who needs Nancy? I got you.”

Billy ignores the way his cheeks are heating up and laughs a little, “You’re coping well.”

“Oh, I’m not, I’m totally not.” He makes himself a plate of pancakes and spikes his coffee with fireball. 

“The hell is that?” Billy asks.

“Fireball. It’s cinnamon whiskey. Burns like a motherfucker.” Steve drinks it and doesn’t even _ flinch. _

“Should be glad it’s Saturday, dude.”

“You’re funny if you think I don’t drink on school mornings.”

Billy shrugs, “Don’t really seem like the type.”

Steve sits up on the counter and talks with his mouthful, which is one thing Billy _ hated _when they were kids but now he just thinks it’s cute, “Bonnie’s the one who is a borderline alcoholic.” 

“You gotta admit she_ is _kind of a bitch.”

Steve sighs, “Yeah, I know. She knows too.”

“Man, it’s worse when you’re self-aware though.”

“She’s actually really nice when she wants to be. Loves the little pack of brats more than anything, gets along with adults really well. I mean, Jesus, something horrible coulda happened in all those years she was gone. I haven’t a clue.”

Billy wants to tell the truth, to not lie through his teeth, Steve didn’t_ know _and Billy assumed it was for a reason, “Yeah, me neither.”

Bonnie comes downstairs with huge bags under her eyes, but she’s dressed and her hair is curled to perfection like normal.

Steve flinches a little like he was about to get hit,“Good _ God, _ you look like _ death _ frozen over, Bon.”

“Yeah, warmed over, then frozen _ and _ melted again.” She replies, taking the mug of coffee from Steve’s hand. 

“Why are you dressed?” Billy asks, messing with Bonnie’s curls.

She swats his hand away, “I’m going to talk to Nancy.”

Steve chokes on air, “Uh, _ no, _you’re not.”

“_ Yes _, I am,” Bonnie says firmly. “Listen, I’ve been a bitch to her for no reason and now you two are broken up because of it.”

Steve doesn’t say anything, knowing she’s right.

“My apology to her is _ long _ overdue, Steve.”

He nods and drinks his coffee.

‘What if she asks about you?”

Steve looks at her and he’s just staring.

“Steve…”

“I don’t know...I guess tell her I’m sorry.”

Billy tilts his head, “Why would _ you _be sorry?”

“Exactly. You did nothing wrong. You’re too good for her, Stevie.”

Steve puts down his empty plate in the sink and crosses his arms across his chest, “I still love her.”

Bonnie sighs, “Okay, Stevie. I’ll be back.”

She gives both boys a hug then walks down the street to Nancy’s house.

“She was drunk,” Steve says for the millionth time, “People don’t mean the shit they say when they’re drunk, right?”

“I guess not. I dunno, she might not even remember saying anything.”

“Whatever.” Steve gets off the counter and stares out at the pool for a few moments before asking, “Wanna watch a movie? Could watch that new Star Wars movie, y’know, the one with the teddy bears.”

Billy laughs, “They’re called Ewoks, Steve.” 

Steve flops back on the couch, “Same dif. Come sit with me and keep me company so I don’t have a panic attack, dingus.”

Billy checks the clock and chews on the inside of his lip. It was 9:30, and he _ knew _ Neil was going to kick his ass the second his foot stepped inside the house. Billy looks at Steve, who _ also _ looks like death frozen over, huddled up on the couch under some itchy plaid blanket. His doe eyes are gazing into Billy and he’s got this _ adorable _but pleading pout on his face. 

Billy thinks about it, probably more than he should. Get a beating, but be able to have a few moments of peace with Steve and keep him from drinking until he pukes? 

Yeah, the punch to the gut would most _ definitely _ be worth it.

_ The Wheeler’s _

Bonnie gently knocks on the door of the magazine cover home of Nancy Wheeler and the _ perfect _ nuclear family she lived with. She always talked about how deadbeat her father was and that all he did was control her. Bonnie was just jealous Nancy even had a dad that was around. 

Mrs. Wheeler opens the door with her normal bright smile, “Oh, hi sweetie! Come on in, it’s freezing.”

Bonnie goes inside and Nancy is sitting at the dining room table alone. She’s picking at her waffles and doesn’t look up. 

“I need to talk to Nancy.” Bonnie says quietly. 

Mrs. Wheeler nods and goes upstairs. 

Bonnie walks over to the table, “Hey, Nancy…”

She looks up with huge bags under her eyes and an emotionless expression, “Hey.”

“Can we talk…? About last night…and then some.”

Nancy sighs and sips her orange juice, “I guess.”

Bonnie sits down, folding her shaking hands into her lap, “Listen…I know sorry won’t cut it, saying sorry is kinda pointless actually. I don’t have any excuses. I…please just know, I don’t mean it. I don’t mean _ anything _ I say to you, or anyone, for that matter. I don’t know any better, I don’t know…I don’t know a lot, actually.”

Nancy looks at her, searching for something. Waiting for her to laugh and make fun of her. But she doesn’t see any of that. She sees sad brown eyes, the _ same _ tear filled eyes as her brother. The same heartbreak and the same pleading, _ begging _glance. 

“I…I can’t get in the pool anymore.” Bonnie whispers, her head down. 

Nancy’s breath hitches a bit and she grips her fork, wanting to say something but her head was _ pounding _ and even a tiny “ _ Get out” _would be another nail in the wall. 

“I can’t _ look _ at you Nancy, I can’t…I _ can’t _ just…I _ can’t _ forgive myself. It’s like a disease that’s eating away at my soul and I can’t bring her back but just…just know that it’s a ghost that haunts me every single waking moment of my life and it makes me _ angry, _ it makes me so fucking _ sad _ it makes me _ angry _.” 

Nancy _ wants _ to say it wasn’t Bonnie’s fault, _ wants _to care, to be her friend, to sympathize. 

“You don’t have to accept my apology, I wouldn’t blame you. From now on…” She takes a deep breath and looks up, meeting Nancy’s eyes, “I’m gonna try to be a better person. Gonna try to…to be there for you.” 

And the _ genuine _remorse, the way she reaches her hand out to Nancy, the hands that always clung to pastel colored gloves for a reason no one knew, it’s enough to make Nancy’s heart strings get pulled in every which way. 

She takes Bonnie’s hand and whispers, “You’re a good person, Bonnie. I _ know _ you are. Deep down, there’s something there.”

Bonnie nods, her lips pressed tightly together trying to hold in the tears. 

“I know it wasn’t your fault.” Nancy says before getting up and disappearing upstairs. 

Bonnie takes in another deep breath, looking down at her feet. 

“Hiya, Bonnie.” Will says with a smile, walking up from the basement with Mike and the others. 

She smiles a little, “Hey there, kiddos. Trick or treating go well?”

Mike yawns,“Totally.” He opens the fridge and huffs, “Ugh, there’s nothing to eat.”

Bonnie looks at her watch, “Wanna go into town and go to Good Mornin’ Mama’s?” 

“Is that even a question?” Mike says, crossing his arms. 

Will frowns at how rude Mike sounded, “You don’t have to, Bon.” 

“My treat.” She smiles. 

“What’s that?” Max asks.

“Only the best breakfast place in town.” Lucas grins. 

“Go on now, get in the car, I’ll be there in a second.” 

The party files out as Bonnie walks upstairs and gently knocks on Nancy’s door.

“Hey um…wanna come have breakfast with the kids and I?” 

Nancy is quiet for a few minutes, “Not today, Bonnie.”

“Okay…and um…I left some aspirin for your head.” 

“Thanks…” Nancy whispers. 

—

Driving downtown also meant, of course, stopping by in the general store to see Joyce, a lady sent straight from the heavens. 

Bonnie parks the car, “The diner looks busy, so I’ll go get a table, tell your momma I said hello, Will.” 

“Yes ma’am.” Will says with a smile. 

The kids all file out, running into the store with big grins. 

Bonnie gets out of the car then sees Tommy and Carol, “Hi guys!” 

“Hey.” Carol smiles, “You look, like, _ so _hungover.”

Bonnie sighs, “Yeah, I had _ way _ too much to drink.”

Tommy lights his cigarette, leaning up against the Pontiac, “How’s Steve?” 

Bonnie shrugs, “I can tell he’s kinda ignoring his feelings like usual. He’s probably crying about it by now.”

Tommy frowns, “What did Nance even say?”

“Not sure, he hasn’t talked to me about it.”

Carol looks over Bonnie’s shoulder, “Uh…uh Bonnie?”

“Yeah? What’s wrong?” 

Carol points over at the theater marquee, where “_ Bonnie the dyke Harrington _” is written in big red letters. 

Bonnie turns around and her heart _ drops _ to her feet.

“Holy _ shit _.” Tommy mumbles. 

Then she sees _ Jonathan fucking Byers _walking down the road, red paint on his jacket.

The kids have walked out by now, whining about how hungry they were, but Bonnie doesn’t hear them. She doesn’t care.

“You absolute fucking creep!” She screams. Jonathan looks up, eyes widen, then starts backing away.

Bonnie runs after him, pulling him back by his hoodie and punches him square in the face.

“You are fucking _ scum _ of this _ Earth! _ A total piece of _ shit _, just like your father!” 

“What are you doing?!” Bonnie hears Will shout.

Jonathan scrambles to his feet, holding his bleeding nose.

“I have done _ nothing _ but be nice to you, and oh my _ God, _ I’m just _ so sorry _ that you can’t get into Nancy Wheeler’s pants or _ mine _ for that matter. I…I just…” She gestures towards the theater, “What the _ fuck _?!”

“I think it’s _ you _ that’s scum of this Earth, Bonnibelle. I am so _ sick _of you being such a bully!” 

Bonnie balls her fists tightly, “Why should it matter to you? I’ve never spoken a word with you! A-and don’t call me that!”

“It doesn’t matter! You’re such a _ bitch, _ you don’t care about anyone but yourself, you call Nancy a priss but it’s _ you _ that’s a priss, _ Bonnibelle _.” 

“My name is _ Bonnie. _ That’s not _ true _. I care about plenty of people.”

Jonathan laughs, “_ Bullshit. _ I don’t believe you for a goddamn _ second.” _

Bonnie’s hands start shaking and the lights in every store start flickering. 

Will’s eyes go widen and Mike whispers, “Is _ she _ doing that…?” 

She opens her mouth to say something but stays quiet. 

“You’re nothing but trouble, Bonnie and I can _ assure _ you; _ no one _actually cares about you and your bullshit.” 

“Right back at you, _ creep.” _She says through tightly closed teeth. She gets back in her car and speeds away, with the lights going back to normal. 

“She was doing that.” Mike whispers again. 

—

_ The Harrington’s _

_ 9:30pm _

Lucky for Billy, his dad was out of town for job interviews and that meant he could spend _ all day _ with Steve and that’s _ exactly _what he had been doing.

Steve had been going emotionally up and down all day, on top of having these moments where he would just _ stare _at the pool. 

Now, after they ate an extra large pizza from Dominos and downed another six pack of beer, Steve is pacing back and forth in the living room with worry in his eyes. 

“Stevie, you’re givin’ me the heebie jeebies, what’s wrong?”

“Bonnie’s isn’t home, she’s _ always _ home before 6, she _ hates _ the dark. I haven’t heard from the kids or anyone all day.”

Almost on cue, Dustin knocks on the door, the other kids behind him. 

Billy opens it, “Hey nerds.”

“Is Bonnie here?” Dustin asks.

“Nope, we were actually about to call you and ask if _ you _knew.”

Mike sighs,“You guys obviously haven’t heard.”

Steve stops pacing, “Heard what?” 

“Jonathan wrote Bonnie the dyke Harrington on the theater marquee downtown…” Lucas says quietly. 

Will then starts crying, running to Steve and hugging him tightly, “I’m so sorry.”

Steve frowns and leans down, hugging back, “Will…it isn’t your fault.” 

“I…I know, I don’t know what got into him.” 

Max sits down on the stairs as Steve talks to the boys in the living room.

Billy sits beside Max, “You okay?”

She nods and messes with the sleeve of her jacket, “Yeah, I’m fine.” 

Billy puts his arm around her and whispers, “I’m sorry Hawkins isn’t like San Diego…trust me, I fuckin’ hate it too.”

Max just rests her head on Billy’s shoulder without a word.

Steve takes a deep breath, “I’m sure Bon is fine…she just…”

“Doesn’t like the dark.” Dustin mumbles. 

“Yeah…” Steve says, looking back at the pool. 

Will’s sitting on the couch, next to Mike, who’s bouncing his leg and staring at the floor. Will puts his hand on top of Mike’s, “You okay?”

Mike nods, “I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

Then Will is _ there _ again. The monster, whatever the _ fuck it is, _it’s staring at him again. 

He hears movement, but no chittering from the monsters. 

“Will, _ go _ . I won’t let him hurt you.” He hears from somewhere and he swears to _ God _it’s Bonnie. 

He’s back on Steve’s couch, back next to Mike, who’s looking at him _ so fucking worried. _

“She’s in the Upside Down.” Will whispers.


	4. Chapter Four: Black Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mind Flayer gets Will, Steve & Bonnie start falling for blue eyed losers and zoo wee mama, Bonnie’s secret is out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soo so sorry for not uploading in so long and also for this said upload being incredibly shitty. i’m not good with multi chapter fics in any way and i’m kinda losing motivation to write this so hopefully y’all like it lol

The next day rolls around and Bonnie still hasn’t come home. Steve tells himself not to worry, that she probably just went for a drive and slept over at the motel outside of town like she sometimes does. Billy, however,  _ knows _ something is sus and he only wishes he could tell Steve.

Will stares off and zones out during class, thinking about the voice he heard when he went under for that brief moment on the Harrington’s suede couch. The way the lights flickered downtown, the way it seemed Bonnie had a raging fire behind her eyes. Reminded him a lot of Eleven.

After the last bell rings, Will walks into the AV club room where the other three boys and Max are. 

“El’s finally gotten outta the hospital, I heard Hop talkin’ about it,” Mike says with a grin.

Will’s heart sinks and he forces a smile, “That’s great, Mike.”

Dustin pulls out a box from his backpack, “So, I found this little guy in my trash can last night. I have no idea what it is.” He opens it and there’s this lizard looking thing inside.

“That is  _ so  _ grody,” Max says, lighting a cigarette. 

“Yo, still don’t know who invited Molly Ringwald into the group, but no smoking is a strict rule.”

Max rolls her eyes, “Eat my pants, dweeb.”

Lucas pokes a finger at the thing, “Leave her alone, Mike.” 

Max blows out smoke and peers over the box next to Lucas, “That is most definitely not a lizard.”

Mike raises an eyebrow, “And how would you know?”

Max shrugs, “It looks like a blob, doesn’t have, like, a real body.” She leans up against the wall, putting the cigarette back in her mouth. “Lizards also don’t make noises.”

“True.”

On the other side of the school, Steve, Billy, and Tommy are in the showers after basketball practice. Billy and Tommy both realize how on edge Steve had been all day; constantly running his fingers through his hair, tapping his pencil and looking around anxiously.

“What’s up, Stevie?” Tommy asks, turning on the water. 

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong? You’ve been weird all day.”

Steve shrugs and washes the shampoo out, “I’ve been fine.”

“Hm, bullshit. Is it Nancy?”

Steve rolls his eyes, “That bitch can go suck Byers dick and choke on it.”

Billy laughs, “Goddamn pretty boy, that’s some mean words comin’ from someone like you.” 

“I’m already planning to deck that creep in the face.” 

Tommy grins, “You can’t win fights, Stevie.” 

Steve looks  _ offended _ , “Says fuckin’ who?” 

“Says me, Stevie.” Tommy whacks the shower off and wraps a towel around him before walking away. 

Steve sighs and does the same, making Billy pout at the brunette, “Gonna  _ leave _ me Stevie?”

“Man, I just wanna know how  _ you  _ haven’t gotten your ass beat yet.”

Billy laughs again, the stupid laugh where he shakes his head and smiles, “I got my ways, pretty boy. And don’t believe those little hallway rumors. Thought you were better than that.”

“Shouldn’t you know  _ I’m _ the one that helps those hallway rumors running? Just ‘cause you’re in my group of idiots doesn’t mean you’re hot shit. Know your place.”

Billy raises his eyebrows, taken back a little at Steve’s tone, “You really  _ are  _ a different person without your little queen bitch sister around.” 

“Oh  _ shut _ your  _ face _ . You know she’s  _ not _ like that.” 

“I think she is, pretty boy.” 

Steve scoffs and gets dressed then walks out before getting knocked over by Dustin.

“Jesus, man!” 

“Steve! Thank God you’re here! We, uh, we’ve lost my pet lizard.” Dustin says out of breath. 

“That thing is not a lizard!” Will and Max yell in unison.

Steve gets up and brushes off his jeans, “Okay, slow down.  _ What _ ?”

“Dustin brought his stupid lizard thing into the AV club and now we can’t find it.” Lucas huffs. 

As Steve is about to respond, he hears Billy scream bloody murder from the locker room. 

Steve runs to him, “Fucking hell, what?!” 

There was Dustin’s lizard thing, which was  _ much  _ bigger than any lizard and Steve  _ immediately  _ knows what it is. 

“What the fuck is that thing?!” Billy yells, his ears red with anger. 

The party runs in and stares in disbelief.

Steve and Billy look at each other, then at the kids, then back at the creature. 

“That’s a fucking demogorgon!” They both shout towards the kids at the same time. 

The boys gasp, shocked that Billy knew what that was. Max looks terrified. 

“How…how do you know what that is?” Will asks, his voice hushed.

Billy gulps and looks at Max, then back at the kids, “Reasons. How do  _ you  _ know what it is?” 

“ _ Reasons _ .” Steve spits back. 

Dustin picks up the thing, “Well obviously it’s dangerous. We need to take it out to the shelter at my house.” 

Steve sighs, “Jesus, Dustin. I thought all this shit was over.”

“We’ll discuss it later.” He snaps, walking to Steve’s car with the others. Max stays behind, going to her brother’s side. 

“You need my help?” Billy asks. 

“No. I’ve dealt with this before. Too many times to count now.” Steve mumbles before begrudgingly following the brats. 

In Dustin’s backyard, Will stands with Mike and Lucas by the doors leading down to the shelter and waits for the other two boys to come back up.

Then he’s there.

It’s dark, so dark and he strains his eyes just to see  _ something _ . He does, but it’s not the something he wanted to be looking at. The monster is coming towards him and Will’s whole body feels completely paralyzed, he can’t even blink. 

“No!” He hears a girl scream and fire is in the corner of his vision, but it’s not enough.

The monster doesn’t care, whatever the fire is doesn’t bother the shadow at all and it  _ gets _ him. Begins to coarse through his veins like new blood, he feels it  _ everywhere _ \- flowing into his body like it was natural. He wants to scream, wants to call Mike’s name.

Will feels someone shaking him and calling his name, and finally,  _ finally,  _ he comes back but he doesn’t because he falls into the arms of whoever was holding his arms in the first place.

“Fuck, fuck, Will what happened?” Mike asks frantically, clutching Will like stairway railings.

‘I dunno.” Will slurs, half in reality and half in his head.

“He’s fucking  _ freezing _ , c’mon we gotta get him inside,” Lucas says, helping Will stand up as they led him onto Dustin’s couch.

Will lays there, feeling oddly calm. He swears his lips twitch up in a smile.

Suddenly, Bonnie comes speeding up in her Pontiac and Steve lets her in. He’s confused as to how she knew they were at Dustin’s, but he’s too anxious to ask her. Her skin looks so pale it’s almost blue and her eyes widen. She doesn’t say a word, only runs over to the couch and leans down beside Will. She puts her hand on his forehead and closes her eyes.

“No...no, no…” Bonnie’s voice is cracking and she whispers, “It got you, it wasn’t supposed to...oh, Will I’m so sorry...I’m so fucking sorry.”

Will looks at her confused, “What are you talking about?”

“The Flayer...it’s got you now.”

“The fuck is that?!” Mike shouts, making Bonnie jump.

“It’s a new monster...I don’t know where it came from...it’s been in the Upside Down for months trying to find someone to prey on, to use as a spy. Will is it’s spy now.”

Mike clenches his fists by his sides, “How the fuck do you even know about all that?” 

“I just do. You have to trust me. Friends don’t lie.”

Mike rolls his eyes, “So what are we supposed to do now, huh?”

Bonnie looks at Will, who has a blank expression on his face, “Wait. Wait and hope.”

_ The Byers, that afternoon _

“What do you mean Will is possessed?” Joyce asks, pacing the floor with a cigarette in her hand. 

Everyone, including Chief, is sitting in the living room of the Byers worried out of their minds and confused while Will was asleep in his room.

Bonnie sits with her hands in her lap, tears in her eyes, “Basically, there’s a new monster...it’s like a shadow, a demon. I call it the Mind Flayer.”

Jonathan pushes his fingers through his hair, anger seeping through his words, “Have you even  _ seen _ this thing? How do you know what it looks like? Seriously, what the hell do you know? And if you do, why didn’t you stop it?”

Bonnie looks at Billy and he nods at her, agreeing to unspoken words.

She takes in a shaky breath, “Because I’ve been in the Upside Down. I go down there at least once a week to check on things. This monster has manifested since El closed the gate last year. I don’t know how or if the lab doctors have anything to do with it, or the dimension itself has created the Flayer. I have reason to believe Will sort of has...powers. He has the ability to see into the Upside Down and has these spells where he goes under. He’s not physically there, but the Flayer or any other monster can get to him. I don’t know how to stop it or how to get it out of Will without harming him.”

Joyce stops pacing, blowing out smoke from her cigarette, “So there’s another gate open?”

Bonnie tries to think of what to say, “Well um...yeah, I think it’s still at the lab. I don’t know.”

“How do you get there? Do you, like, sneak in or something?” Nancy asks, staring daggers into Bonnie’s eyes.

“Um, not necessarily.”

Hoppers sighs, “Kid, c’mon, spit it out. This is serious shit and you clearly know the most.” 

“The doctors know me. They allow me to go in there and search around, as long as I tell them what I find. They don’t know about the Flayer, only that there are more demogorgons that have involved kinda into these dogs. They run and walk on all fours, instead of their hind legs. They’re pretty scary.”

Silence from everyone as the gears turn in their head.

“A couple of days ago, downtown,” Lucas says, facing Bonnie, “When you decked Jonathan in the face and you were screaming at him, the lights were flickering. Were you doing that?”

Her face goes white as a sheet and she gulps, “No.”

“Eleven could make lights flicker.” Mike mumbles.

It clicks it Hopper’s mind first and he takes in a drag of the cigarette in his hand, “She’s a lab kid.”

Bonnie’s whole body tenses up and she clenches her fists tightly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. My father works in the lab, so he lets me go in there since I know about the Upside Down anyway.”

Hopper just laughs, “You’re lying  _ straight _ through your teeth, Harrington. You and your brother both are terrible liars.”

Bonnie looks at Billy again, who nudges his shoulder a little.

“Okay, so I am. What difference does it make?”

Joyce looks a little shocked, “Wait  _ what _ ?”

Bonnie rolls her eyes, “I’m a lab kid, horray. Seriously, it doesn’t change a damn thing. I’ve told you what I know. I’m just as much in the dark as you are.”

Jonathan grabs Bonnie’s left wrist and yanks it towards him, making Bonnie almost scream in protest. He ignores her, pushing back the sleeve of her sweater and his eyes widen.

“Can you let  _ go _ of me you  _ creep _ ?” She sneers.

“One.” He says, letting go of her.

“What?” Nancy and Mike say at the same time.

“She’s number  _ one _ . You’re the first.”

Bonnie then starts to tear up and she runs out of the house.

“Bonnie! Wait, honey, please!” Joyce follows her and tries to catch her, but she’s tearing out of the driveway in her Pontiac before Joyce can stop her.

“I swear to fucking God, Jonathan, I’m gonna fucking kill you!” Steve shouts before he also tears off after her in his beemer.

Billy stands silently in the corner as Joyce comes back in sighing.

Back to silence.

Billy crosses his arms and sits down at the kitchen table, “The whole LSD experiments started back in a lab in San Diego, where we’re from. This was before the Cold War, so Russian doctors were running that lab in particular. Her uncle was the one that worked for them. Bonnie and Steve’s dad is the devil incarnate, so when their uncle was calling around for kids to experiment on, John gave Bonnie to them. At first, she was able to come home every night for dinner and to play with us before she left in the morning. Then it dwindled down to weekends, then soon enough we never saw her again. I was eight at the time, so she was nine. Steve moved to Hawkins a few weeks later and I never spoke to him again until now. About four years go by and the lab gets burned down. Up until that point, I had been able to write letters. She only responded once in a blue moon. I don’t know what happened to her here in Hawkins, what her powers are or any of that. What I do know is that I am surprised beyond belief that she is even alive.”

They all look at him dumbfounded.

“In the last letter I got from her, she was 13. She told me that they kept her in a padded room underground and she was required to wear a straight jacket 24 hours, every single day. She was let outside once every other week and sometimes went days without being fed. They treated her like a fucking dog. They used her to study the hell dimension they created instead of doing it themselves because the doctors knew Bon could fight back. Also, the reason she goes by a nickname is that the doctors called her Bonnibelle. She can’t take anyone calling her that. Seriously…” Billy breathes out smoke and shakes his head, “I don't have a damn clue as to how she hasn’t died.”

Joyce covers her mouth and whispers, “Oh my God…”

“Yeah, so, watch your fucking mouth, Jonathan. I’m not afraid to knock your teeth out.” Billy then gets up and leaves, driving towards the direction of where Steve went.

  
  


_ The quarry _

Bonnie sits on the hood of her car, smoking yet another cigarette trying to suffocate the  _ screaming _ voices in her head. They say she isn’t  _ safe _ here anymore, they know one of your secrets, that she needs to  _ run _ while she still has the chance. 

“Where the fuck would I go?’ She mumbles, looking up at the dull sky.

They say back to California, but Bonnie knows California isn’t safe either. 

Out of the woods, a girl walks to her bike which was a few feet from Bonnie’s. She looks up and makes eye contact, gives Bonnie a smile and starts to walk over. 

“Hey.” Bonnie says, quickly wiping away her tears. The girl looked familiar, but a type of familiar where you only know the taste of their lips and what they feel like in a dark room with music pounding in your ears.

“Hey there,” The girl leans against the Pontiac and smiles, “You’re Bonnie, right?”

“Yep,” She blows out smoke and stares off at the distant edge of the woods, watching and waiting for something.

“I think we’ve met before, at Tina’s party actually.”

The night comes flooding back and Bonnie’s eyes widen, “You’re the punk?”

She nods, “Yeah. Also the band stalker who you called a dyke in the locker room a couple days ago.”

Bonnie sighs and puts her head in her hands, “Sorry.”

“Nah, don’t be. I wasn’t tryna be creepy, just think cheerleaders are cool. Seriously, you get like, thrown up into the air like you’re light as a feather. Pretty sick.”

Bonnie laughs a little, “Yeah, sick.” 

“Oh, sorry, um, I’m Robin by the way. Robin Buckley.” 

Bonnie lifts her head up and looks into the bright blue eyes of this Robin girl. For the first time in a very long time, Bonnie’s heart isn’t racing to leave her chest and isn’t choking to catch up with her own breath. She’s calm. 

“Hi, Robin.” 

“Hi,” Robin smiles and sits beside Bonnie, “I saw you cryin’, you alright?”

“Why do you care?”

Robin shrugs, “Lookin’ out for ya. Saw what that Byers dick wrote on the marquee downtown, made me angry. Us band dweebs kinda have a vendetta against you, and I know this sounds creepy, but I’ve kinda been watching you the past couple months…you’ve got some pretty shitty friends, Harrington.”

Bonnie takes in another drag of her cig, “They’re alright.”

“They’re, like, more bitchy than you are.”

“Totally.”

“I know it’s a crime for me to be even talkin’ to ya, but I don’t think like my friends do. I think you’re pretty radical, you’re super smart, too.”

Bonnie looks at her and smiles a little, “You really think so?”

“Uh, yeah  _ totally _ . You know entire  _ paragraphs _ of Shakespeare, like, I can’t even memorize a single  _ line _ .”

Bonnie doesn’t say anything and looks away, directing her stare back out at the tree line.

Robin stays quiet too and sits there watching the brunette beside her.

“Can I tell you something weird?” Bonnie whispers.

“Yeah, of course.”

“I…I don’t know how to explain it but…I feel like I’ve known you my entire life. Do you believe in, like, multiple timelines? Infinite universes?”

Robin has no idea what she means but she nods anyway. 

“I literally barely know you. I mean, I just figured out your name. But, I feel like we’ve known each other before, you get me?”

“Yeah, I understand. That’s…cool, I guess.”

“I just…I don’t trust a lot of people. I trust you. Feel like I could tell you everything that’s ever happened to me.”

Robin notices Bonnie’s looking out at the top of the Hawkins Lab building; glaring  _ intently _ at it. 

“You ever heard of those LSD experiments?” Robin asks. 

Bonnie nods, “Yes.”

“I think it’s totally real. I don’t trust the government, man.”

Bonnie laughs, “The government sucks, Robin, you don’t even know.”

Robin laughs too, “What’s the  _ point _ of even going to school if we’re just gonna end up like our parents?” 

“I would rather die than end up like my Ma and Pa. I hate them.”

“Same. Your brother seems pretty cool, though. Kinda a douche.” 

Bonnie smiles and it’s the prettiest thing Robin’s ever seen, “I love my brother. He’s the one person in this whole world that actually matters to me. Besides Billy. And you. You’re cool, too.”

Robin blushes a little, “Gee thanks.”

“Mhm.” Bonnie breathes out another huff of smoke, “Wanna drive outta here and go to Dairy Queen?”

Robin smiles, “Yeah, that sounds cool.”

“Your bike can probably fit in my trunk,” Bonnie opens it up then gets in the drivers seat. Robin puts her bike in and slides in beside Bonnie. 

_ The Harrington’s  _

“How did you lose her, Stevie?”

Steve sighs and takes a swig of his beer, “Her car is faster than mine.”

Billy sits down beside Steve on his couch then turns on Animal House, “I coulda caught her.”

“Okay sure, but do you really wanna deal with her sucker punchin’ you?”

Billy shrugs, “Deal with that anyway.”

Steve rests his head on Billy’s shoulder and sighs again, “She stresses me out.” 

Billy relaxes and puts his arm around Steve, who lets him, “I know, Stevie. She’s a big girl, she can take care of herself.”

“But she can’t, Billy, she  _ can’t  _ and you know that as well as I do.”

Billy massages Steve’s shoulders, “You’re so tense, Stevie, just take a deep breath and calm down okay?” 

He does as Billy says and slowly calms down, taking in Billy’s touch. He looks into Billy’s eyes; how bright and blue they were. Billy was warm,  _ inviting _ , he felt like home.  _ California _ type’a home. He was still sunshine,

still tan skin and golden hair. Steve had let Hawkins infect him; he was pale and empty like the boring suburban roads. California has left his blood a long,  _ long  _ time ago. But here Billy was; San Diego  _ still _ running through his veins and floating through his fingertips. 

“You are  _ some  _ type’a beautiful, Stevie.” Billy mumbles, moving one of his hands up to Steve’s silky soft hair. 

Steve blushes and the soft pink hue reaches up to his ears, “Shut it, Hargrove. Can’t be like that here.”

Billy raises an eyebrow, “Oh? I can be however I want, pretty boy. Who  _ cares _ about reputations?”

“I do. My mamma does.” 

Billy laughs and leans back, “Always been a mamma’s boy, haven’t you?”

Steve pouts and moves so his head is back on Billy’s shoulder, “Yeah, so what?”

“You’re the neediest boy I’ve ever known in my  _ life _ , Harrington.”

“Are you complaining?”

Billy smirks, “Not a bit.”

Steve leans up so his face is inches away from Billy’s, “Remember that time we kissed under the boardwalk?”

“Clear as day, pretty boy.” 

“Do you regret it?”

Billy tangles his fingers in Steve’s hair, “I think it’s one of the only things I’ve ever done right.”

Steve rolls his eyes and presses a kiss to Billy’s lips. His heartache from Nancy, his anger with Jonathan, the worry about Bonnie all of a sudden disappear, “Dramatic.” 

Billy kisses back and pulls Steve closer, “Nuh uh,  _ you’re _ the dramatic one.”

“Mhm, totally.” He buries his face in Billy’s neck and for once in his goddamn life, Steve’s heart isn’t beating out of his chest and he can  _ breath _ without choking. 


	5. Chapter Five: 24/7 Sylvia Plath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope is a dangerous thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a really shitty chapter i’m sorry lol i’m kinda losing motivation to write this but i’m tryin!!!!

_ Hayden, California _

_ Sharashka National Laboratory _

_ July 1976 _

“I told you, Bonnibelle. Stay still and you won’t feel a thing, alright?”

Bonnie lays in a metal table, her arms and legs strapped in, with wires on her forehead, “You’re hurting me!”

“Because you won’t be _ still _, Bonnibelle.” The Russian doctor, Dr. Borovsky, sneers as he boots up the machine hooked to Bonnie’s head.

She keeps moving around trying desperately to break free and this gets her a hard slap across the face that echos in the dimly lit room. 

She looks through the glass window with teary eyes at her father, who’s straight-faced and standing with his arms tightly crossed, “Pa, please, _ please _ make them stop.” 

“Shut her up.” He says, no emotion in his voice.

One of the assistants shoves a piece of hard plastic into Bonnie’s mouth and sticks two rods on either side of her head. He says something in Russian that Bonnie doesn’t understand and suddenly a shock is sent through her body that makes her scream so loud it makes everyone’s ears ring.

“Bonnie!”

She jolts up in bed, tears streaming down her face and her chest is tight. Steve is sitting in front of her, hands on her shoulders. She tries to say something, tries to breathe, but everything is spinning and she can’t fucking _ breathe _.

“Bunny, you’re okay, you’re in your room. You live in 2521 Brookshire Run in Hawkins, Indiana,” Steve helps her calm down and gently pulls her into his arms. She wraps her arms around him and he whispers, “No one can hurt you here, okay?”

She takes in a deep breath and nods a bit, “You’re here.”

He rubs her back, “Mhm. Not going anywhere.” 

Bonnie looks at the clock and it reads 3:15 am. She isn’t sure how she got there and can’t really remember what had happened the previous day. She remembers the quarry and meeting a girl named Robin. Then, what was said at the Byers comes flooding back. It hits her like a wave because they _ know _ , they know her _ secret _. Her breathing starts to quicken again and she grips Steve’s shirt, tears falling back down her cheeks. 

“Bon, sh, sh it’s okay.” He keeps breathing with her and gently cups her face, “In and out, it’s okay.”

Steve had never been great at calming Bonnie down, never been great at understanding her, no matter how hard he _ desperately _ tried to. 

“They _ know _, Steve!” She half whispers half sobs, putting her hands over Steve’s.

“And that’s _ okay, _bunny.”

She shakes her head and the tears are pouring out like rain, “Jonathan’s gonna use it against me!” 

Steve brushes her hair back and looks into her eyes, “I won’t let him, Bon. I _ promise _ , as long as I’m here, _ nobody _can hurt you, you hear me?” 

She takes in a shaky breath and nods, resting her forehead against Steve’s, “I hear you, I do.”

“Good.” He whispers.

“Why are you awake, Stevie?”

Steve shrugs, “Heard you crying, I was worried.”

She sniffs and wipes her cheeks with a tissue, “I’m okay now, go back to sleep.”

Steve runs his fingers through his hair and looks down at his lap, “Could I stay with you?” 

Bonnie lays back down, “You never have to ask, you know that.” 

He lays beside her and puts his head on her shoulder, “I know.”

They both just stare at the ceiling in silence.

“I think I’m in love with Billy.” Steve whispers when the clock hits 4:00.

”No you’re not. You’re just telling yourself that.”

Steve sighs, knowing she’s right, “Yeah…but, he’s different y’know? I mean, so am I but he’s just…_ really _different. He’s dangerous.” 

“You mean he’s not Nancy Wheeler.”

Steve huffs out a laugh, “God, _ no. _ He is most definitely _ not _Nancy Wheeler.” 

Bonnie turns towards Steve and ruffles his hair, “How are you…y’know, dealing with that?” 

Steve sighs, “I don’t know, honestly. Billy’s been kinda distracting me from it. He drives too fast and his music is _ so _ loud. He’s kinda…double-sided. One day he’s my best friend, he’s _ my _Billy, the one I’ve always known then the next day he’s like a fucking spitfire and he’ll bully me like we’re middle schoolers. Constantly makes fun of me and pushes me around during basketball.”

Bonnie frowns, “I’m talking about _ Nance _, Stevie. Not Billy.”

Steve looks at her and smiles a little, “Honestly?”

Bonnie nods, “Honestly.”

“I’ve never been more heartbroken in my life. I’m so heartbroken I don’t know what to do or how to react. My mind is _ completely _ rejecting it. Rejecting the fact that she doesn’t care anymore. I love her so fucking much, Bonnie. I _ don’t _ love Billy, that’s just a goddamn _ lie _ I keep telling myself. It hurts like a brick on my chest. I can’t sleep, I can’t think, I can’t do anything. I’m so utterly _ lost _.”

Bonnie doesn’t say anything and puts her arm across Steve’s chest. She doesn’t _ know _ what to say because she doesn’t _ know _ what heartbreak _ is _. Doesn’t even know what love is or what it’s supposed to be like. 

“Jonathan is such a _ creep _, I mean, you remember the shit he did last year, right?”

Bonnie nods, “I do.”

“And he treats you like shit, I can’t fucking stand him.”

“I deserve it, Stevie. I don’t treat him any better.”

Steve sighs, “But you _ do _, bunny. You barely talk to him. What he did the other day was so fucking…just so unnecessary.”

Bonnie turns her back to him and mumbles, “He’s not wrong.” 

Steve sits up a little, “Huh?”

“The whole…dyke..thing…he’s not…wrong.” 

Steve lays back down and whispers, “_ Oh _. Holy shit.”

“Yeah, holy shit...I mean, I shoot fire from my hands and can jump between dimensions among other things. Being gay is not the weirdest thing about me. How did you even figure that shit out?”

Steve laughs, “You’re right…well I still love you, bunny. Oh, Billy told me. He told me basically _ everything _ ...how come _ you _ never told me?”

Bonnie turns back towards him and sighs, “No idea. Just figured it was pointless but since you know about the Upside Down now…why not. I was too afraid of what would happen if I told you. And thanks…love you too, dingus.”

Steve nods and plays with Bonnie’s curls, “I understand.” 

“Someday this heartache we’ve both got will make sense, hopefully,” Bonnie yawns and curls up under the covers, “Get some sleep, Stevie.”

Steve does the same and mumbles, “Yeah, hopefully.”

_ The next day _

_ Hawkins High _

Bonnie and Steve show up late to school like normal. Of course, _ nobody _ talks to Bonnie. Not even Carol or Heather. They sit away from her every time they’re around her and whisper about her the entire day. 

To keep the rumor mill going. It’s their job. 

Bonnie sits in between Billy and Steve every class. Beside the two people that could and _ would _ beat someone’s ass without hesitation if they tried to even _ look _at Bonnie. She doesn’t care, she keeps her nose in Jane Austen and her mind a million worlds away. . 

She zones out and thinks about Will. Thinks about watching the Flayer take him and that she didn’t try hard enough to stop it. It nearly moves her to tears in her science class; the worry is eating her alive. Problem is, she can’t reach out the hand she so desperately wants to, because Jonathan doesn’t want her anywhere _ near _ his brother. So she stays away—simply so Jonathan can learn his lesson. 

English class rolls around and during yet another lecture about something Bonnie for sure didn’t care about, she goes under. She’s_ there _and so is Will. He looks deadly pale and lifeless; but his eyes are screaming for help.

“Will, can you hear me?”

“I don’t know what’s _ happening, _ Bonnie,” He’s _ pleading, _ hands shaking, “I’m so _ cold.” _

_ “ _ I know…I know, Will, look at me,” She leans down in front of him and holds his freezing hands, “ _ Fight _ it. Fight it with _ all _ you’ve got. Don’t let him take you. I’ll do what I can to make sure you don’t get hurt, alright?” 

Will nods, holding onto her for dear life. 

There’s chittering from demodogs that’s getting louder by the second and Bonnie places a hand on his forehead, “Go. _Fight_ _it_, Will.” 

He’s back and so is she. She jumps a little in her seat, her hand fidgeting with a pencil, her head on Billy’s shoulder. 

“You alright?” Billy whispers.

“Yeah,” She whispers back. 

The bell rings for lunch and Bonnie goes to the very back corner of the girls locker room like usual. She never eats, mostly since there’s never any food at home. 

She lights a cigarette and then Robin walks in, “Hey there.”

“Hey.”

“Can I sit with you?”

“Sure.”

Robin sits down in front of her and frowns, “Don’t have lunch?”

“I never do.”

“I can share mine, it’s my momma’s Italian wedding soup.” 

Bonnie looks at her, “What’s that?”

Robin smiles and takes out her thermos, “Oh, it’s like, little meatballs, some veggies and egg, it’s really really good.”

“Um, yeah, I’ll try some.” 

Robin hands her a spoon, “How’s your day been?”

“Just the best day ever,” Bonnie huffs and eats some of the soup, “Shit, this is _ really _ good.” 

Robin laughs, “I _ know _right? It’s, like, crack. I don’t know how my mom makes it, the recipe is secret.”

Bonnie tilts her head, “Why?”

Robin shrugs, “Runs in the family, I guess. It’s from my great great grandparents I think, they brought it to America when they immigrated.” 

Bonnie nods then takes out a textbook with “_ Words, Poetry and things like that” _written on the front in pretty cursive. She opens up to a page where her bookmark is and reads, her finger following along the lines.

“Whatcha readin’?” Robin asks, moving to sit beside Bonnie.

“Oh…um, this is a book I keep of poetry and quotes I like. This page is full of Sylvia Plath…she’s um, one of my favorite poets. She’s very…wise.”

Robin smiles, “That’s super cool. I’ve always hated literature y’know? The lectures are _ so _boring.”

Bonnie’s lips crack into the tiniest smile, “Yeah, they are. I already know everything about Mansfield Park, I’ve read it 10 times. I keep a record of how many books I read…I don’t like re-reading but y’know,” She messes with the cuffs of her gloves, “I’ve already read every book in the library at least twice.”

“No way. The school or town library?”

“Both.”

“Wow, the head cheerleader is a secret _ nerd.” _

Bonnie blushes and rolls her eyes, “Shut up. You’re still lower than me, can’t call me that.” 

Robin raises an eyebrow, “Are you sure about that? Heather and Carol haven’t even talked to you today.”

Bonnie sighs and leans back against the lockers, “They’re just trying to get rumors going, that’s all.”

Robin frowns and rests her head on Bonnie’s shoulder, “You’ve got me, Bon.”

“Thanks,” she whispers, going back to reading. 

“So, um…like, what are your dreams? What do you wanna be?” Robin asks, scanning through the words on the page.

“I want to go to the city. There's a place, um, it’s called New York City. I’ve seen a lot of pictures taken by my mother…it’s just so…so beautiful. So many people to meet, so many more books to read, it’s the city of my dreams.”

Robin smiles, “I’m from the Big Apple.”

Bonnie’s face lights up and she turns towards Robin, “No way!”

“Mhm, yes way. I lived in Baychester, it’s in the Bronx. Moved when I was, like, 10. I miss it.”

Bonnie smiles a little, “Do you still have family there?”

Robin nods, “My aunt and uncle, they’re super cool. Auntie Taylor sings on Broadway, Uncle Louis runs an Italian market in Bay Ridge.”

Bonnie smiles more, this time it’s a full ear to ear grin, “That's so amazing, I’m uber jealous.” 

Robin’s heart jumps up to her throat and she loses her breath a bit, “Yeah, yeah, it’s tubular.”

Bonnie looks down in her lap and keeps messing with the buttons on her gloves, “Do you um…wanna like…come over after school..?” 

“Don’t you have cheer?”

“Yeah but I…I don’t wanna go. Just kinda wanna…hang with you.”

Robin’s cheeks flush pink and she plays with her hair, “Sounds like fun…we can like, um, watch a movie or something?”

Bonnie giggles a little, “Yeah.” The bell rings and she stands up, “I’ll see you this afternoon, just um…come to my car, alright?”

Robin looks up at her, “Yeah. Tubular.”

Bonnie laughs under her breath, “Tubular.”

Walking into her last class, she sits beside Billy and tries to hide the grin on her face. Steve slides into the chair next to her, “Whatcha so damn happy ‘bout?”

“Oh, um, nothing,” Bonnie mumbles before opening her notebook and writing down something the two boys didn’t know. 

“That’s the biggest pile of shit, bun. You’re smilin’ about _ something _,” Billy teased, poking at her shoulder. 

“It’s _ nothin’ _, Billy,” She snaps. 

Billy holds his hands up, “Alright, _ alright.” _

_ That afternoon _

_ The Byers _

Will hadn’t slept that night. Hadn’t eaten, hadn’t even remembered what he learned in school today. Or if even _ went _ to school. He was completely and utterly _ millions _ of miles away in another universe. He couldn’t stop shivering, his entire body was colder than ice. 

Because Mike wasn’t there today. Mike went to Hop’s to finally see Eleven, who had been found a few months prior and was being kept a secret due to the bad men still roaming Hawkins. As far as Will knew, Eleven was living with Hopper in his cabin and she wasn’t really allowed to go outside. Will didn’t care. She didn’t _ hate _ her; he just knew deep in his gut she’d be taking Mike _ away _ from Will. 

Lucas walked Will home, making Will promise him that he’d call Lucas if anything more happened. Will wanted to ask Lucas to stay, but the words just wouldn’t come out. He had barely said anything all day, besides his small conversation with Bonnie. He was still trying to make sense of everything and what the flayer _ wanted _. 

He laid down in his bed and tried to think of something, _ anything. _ But he can’t. His mind is completely blank. The only thing he sees is the Upside Down and complete darkness. He feels empty and _ hollow. _

And he thinks not even Mike fucking Wheeler could fix this.

_ After Robin’s soccer practice _

_ The Harrington’s _

Bonnie is pacing the living room and practically burning holes in the carpet. 

Steve and Billy are on the couch, watching her like a ping pong ball.

Billy takes a swig of his beer, “Bon, you’re stressin’ me out. What’s up?” 

She stops pacing and sighs, “A friend is coming over.” 

Steve raises an eyebrow, “A _ friend?” _

“Yeah. A new friend. Someone that isn’t Heather and Carol…because I think they hate me now.”

“Well, who is this new person? Do we know her?” Steve asks, reaching over for his cigarette from the ash tray. 

“Um…no, she’s um, a geek. She’s in marching band and plays soccer.”

Steve laughs, “Oh so you’ve stooped _ low.” _

Bonnie crosses her arms, “That’s not nice at all, Stevie.”

Billy blows out smoke, “I thought you weren’t allowed to be friends with geeks.” 

“Yeah, well, I quit cheer so it doesn’t matter.”

Steve gasps overdramatically, “Oh dear! Whatever will the Hawkins tigers do without their cheer captain!”

Bonnie scoffs and takes the cig from her brothers hand, “Shut the hell up.” 

“When did you quit?”

“Well, I just didn’t show up to practice. Hopefully that gets the message across.”

Billy shrugs, “Maybe. I dunno, the girls around here are pretty dense.”

“Tell me about it,” Bonnie starts pacing again, anxiously looking out the window and playing with the buttons on her gloves. 

Billy follows her movements, “What’s her name?” 

“Robin.”

“She sounds nice.”

Billy notices the very small smile in the corners of Bonnie’s mouth and she nods, “She is.”

The doorbell rings and Bonnie puts her cigarette down on the ash tray then takes a deep breath and opens the door,“Oh, Robin, hi.” 

Robin smiles and shoves her hands into the pocket of her soccer hoodie, “Heya, man, it’s cold as _ balls.” _

Bonnie laughs a bit, “Totally,” she steps aside, “Come on in.” 

Robin walks inside and looks around, “Holy _ shit. _I just knew you lived in a damn mansion. Also, sorry for not meetin’ you after school, I forgot I had practice,” She giggles and follows Bonnie into the kitchen. 

“That’s what everyone says,” Bonnie opens the cabinet, “It’s okay. Want a drink? We got, like, everything under the sun.” 

Robin leans against the counter, “Ya got some fireball?”

Bonnie raises one of her eyebrows, “Fireball? Really? That’s whatcha start with?”

Robin shrugs, “Go big or go home.”

Billy chuckles, “I like her already, bunny.” 

Bonnie rolls her eyes, “This is Billy, and my brother Steve.”

Robin takes the drink Bonnie makes for her, “Heya, heard lots about you. Mostly bad stuff but, y’know. I don’t judge people by their covers.”

Billy looks down at his watch and huffs, “I gotta get home, Bon. Have to watch Max tonight, Steve, ya wanna come with?”

Bonnie, being clueless, doesn’t realize that this is just an excuse for Billy and Steve to leave so the two girls can be alone. Steve is clueless too, but Billy’s an expert at reading between the lines.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” Steve says, getting up and putting on his jacket. 

“Oh, darn. I’ll see ya tomorrow though, right?”

Billy nods and gives Bonnie a hug, “Yep. Nice meetin’ you, lady bird.”

Robin laughs, “Lady bird, haven’t gotten that one.”

Steve puts a cig in his mouth, “Be nice to my sister, alright?” 

Robin nods, “Of course.”

Bonnie gives Steve a hug, “Did you check the pool?”

Steve nods, “And the back doors.”

Bonnie nods back, “Call me if you stay the night, please.”

Steve ruffles her hair, “I will, bunny.”

The two boys leave and Bonnie pulls out a drawer full of VHS tapes, “Whatcha like?”

Robin sits on the couch, “I’m up for anything.” 

“Even Westerns?”

Robin nods and smiles, “Even Westerns.”

Bonnie smiles, “Yay! I love Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, it’s from the ‘60s.”

“Sounds good, I’ve never watched it.”

Bonnie puts in the tape then sits criss cross beside Robin, pulling a blanket over their laps. 

Robin doesn’t pay attention to the movie; only to Bonnie mouthing along to the lines and doing finger guns on occasion. It’s the cutest thing Robin’s ever seen. She sometimes looks over her shoulder at the pool, then at the doors and the windows. It’s weird, but Robin doesn’t question it. 

Halfway through the movie, Bonnie scoots a little closer and rests her head on Robin’s shoulder. 

Robin wraps her arm around Bonnie and both of them blush bright pink, looking at each other with shy eyes. 

“Y’know, it’s funny that I’ve kissed you before I even knew your name,” Bonnie says, her voice quiet. 

“Yeah, that’s how it works around here…bein’ a dyke and all. Ya gotta be careful with who you mess with.”

Bonnie looks up at her, “What made you pick me?” 

Robin smiles, “Just had that look in your eyes. Plus, a pretty girl like you has got nothin’ to worry about. I bet girls _ and _ boys got their hands all over you.” 

Bonnie huffs out a laugh, “Oh, _ completely _.”

“Lady bird and bunny, sounds like…I dunno.”

Bonnie actually laughs, “What are you talking about?”

“Well y’know, like, Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

Bonnie looks at her completely confused, “I haven’t a single clue what you’re trying to say.” 

Robin giggles, “It’s just like…Romeo and Juliet, Bonnie and Clyde, Luke and Leia, Han and Chewbacca.” 

Bonnie slowly nods, her brows furrowed, “Okay…?”

“Both of our nicknames are animals, y’know? Like, just our nicknames for each other.”

Bonnie smiles, “Oh! I get you, I like that. It’s cute.” 

“Mhm. I think bunny is a really cute nickname.”

Bonnie blushes again, “Thank you. Steve couldn't say my name when we were kids so he apparently called me bunny and it just kinda, stuck. Billy calls me it too. You can, if you wanna…only people I trust can call me bunny.”

Robin grins, “I’m honored.”

Bonnie puts her head back on Robin’s chest and keeps watching the movie. Robin gently combs her fingers through Bonnie’s curls and holds her close. 

Until, Bonnie jumps up out of Robin’s arms, her entire face turning white as a sheet. 

“You need to go,” She whispers.

Robin sits up a little, “What?”

“I…just…” Bonnie looks back at the pool and her hands are shaking a little, “You need to go,” She repeats. 

“Bonnie, what’s wrong?” Robin stands up then reaches her hand out to Bonnie, who backs away.

“_ Go _.”

Robin takes in a shaky breath and tries not to cry, “Fine.” 

“I can…” Bonnie starts to say but Robin cuts her off, “Save it.”

Robin snatches up her letterman jacket and storms out of the house, slamming the door behind her, leaving Bonnie crying in the living room. 


	6. Hayden 1/11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tender gays and tender lesbians + pining on your best friends who’s in love with your other best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sorry for taking so long to update!! i tried to make this one a little longer since i’m gonna be gone a while for christmas family time,,,ew,,,but anyway i hope y’all like it :)

_ The Hargrove’s _

_ That night _

Steve sits on Billy’s bed, the bass from an AC/DC song ringing in his ears. He’s slightly buzzed from shitty weed and shitty beer, smoke dancing around his head as Billy sits with his back against the wall by his closet.

Billy’s room is depressing, to say the least. He has bed sheets as curtains, an old dresser barely holding up his stuff, a mirror on top of a semi broken milk crate. And Steve _ knows, _oh does he know, what Billy’s dad is like. What these walls have most likely seen, even considering the small amount of time Billy’s lived in them. 

His room back in California was bright and open, with a window seat overlooking the ocean. He had a bookshelf filled to the brim with every toy, book and comic you could think of. Yeah, those walls saw things too, but it was more comforting back there. 

But this ain’t California, _ Billy _ is _ not _ California. 

Steve’s learned rather quickly that this disease called Hawkins can spread into your veins faster than a high. But, you can never come down and the high doesn’t feel good. It makes you _ sick _—blurs your vision, makes you so nauseous it leaves you bedridden. 

Steve clinged onto the possibility that the Hawkins parasite wouldn’t overtake Billy so quickly, yet here he was, the blue in his eyes duller than ever. 

Billy turns the music down and runs his fingers through his hair. He doesn’t say anything, just lets out a sigh. 

“This place is depressing, Steve.”

”That’s, like, the millionth time you’ve said that. But yeah, I know,” Steve says, laying back on Billy’s bed which reeks of his cologne and very faintly of Sundown sunscreen. 

“Guess I know why you try so hard to be perfect.” 

Steve isn’t sure what to make of this, “What?”

“You just…you’re like your dad. Full of yourself. Think you run this goddamn hellhole.” 

That’s a sting to Steve’s heart and it leaves him speechless. Steve was _ not _ like his father and _ never _will be. 

Billy chuckles a little, shaking his head and taking a long drag of his cigarette, “You ain’t _ shit _, Stevie. It bangs, dude, really does. ‘Cause I wanna be your friend again. I want it to be like the old days, but it can’t be. You’re part of a club I’m banned from, pretty boy.” 

Steve scoffs, Billy’s voice sounding _ scarily _ like John Harrington, “Bein’ a part of this _ club _ you’re on about ain’t all that great, Billy. I’d much rather just be friends with you.”

“Okay, then why aren’t you?” 

Steve doesn’t know what to say.

Billy laughs at Steve’s silence, one of his loud and roaring laughs. 

They had been getting along fine, at least Steve thought so. They only ever got aggressive on the basketball court but to Steve—it was nothing more than sports rivalry—it seemed as if Billy had a vendetta against him. For what; Steve had no clue. But as the days went on, Billy got more cruel. The words he spoke to Steve sounded like insults; words to work him up. And it _ did _ work most of the time since Steve was easily agitated by pointless hallway talk than was never supposed to mean anything. Steve thought he had made it clear that Billy was one of _ them. _ He was apart of this _ club _; but Steve knew the attention he had was slowly being situated towards Billy. 

Steve couldn’t _ stand _ that.

He _ needed, _ no, he _ craved _that undying attention he got from the Hawkins High population. Steve was certain he’d die if he wasn’t the one everyone worshiped. 

And Billy knew this. And Steve knew Billy knew. 

“Those kids, Steve, they don’t give a flying _ shit _about you.”

“Sure they do,” Steve mumbles, wishing to phase through the bed and disappear. 

“_ No _ they _ don’t _ . You know that _ just _ as well as I do.”

“Whatever.”

“You still get everything you want. It’s always been like that, even back home. I’ve watched you these past couple days. I thought that at first glance you had changed. Maybe weren’t so stuck up anymore, didn’t let yourself become like your parents. But you did, you _ completely _ did,” Billy laughs again, putting his cigarette down on the ash tray. 

Steve rolls his eyes, “And what about Bonnie? Has she changed?” 

“She’s missing eight years of her life, Steve.”

“What does _ that _ have to do with anything?”

“She’s missing eight years of being a kid. Missed developing a personality that you don’t force her to have.”

Steve sits up, confused and shocked, “I don’t _ force _ her to be anything!”

Billy smirks, “Settle down, old boy. I ain’t tryin’ get you worked up, just tryin’ tell ya how it is.” 

“You know _ exactly _ what you’re doing. Bonnie isn’t really the bitch she acts up to be and you _ know _ that!” 

“I do, Stevie. But that doesn’t change how _ you _ are. _ You _aren’t two sided.” 

Steve sighs and doesn’t reply, mostly because he doesn’t know how to. Billy’s prying Steve’s heart wide open and Steve can’t face that; not now, not ever. 

“You had those full eight years of your life to become who you are. You had a choice.”

“What fucking ever, Billy. Do you want to be my friend or not? Because with how this conversation is going, I’d assume the latter.” 

Billy huffs out a laugh, picking his cigarette back up, “I don’t _ need _ you, Steve. Just thought we could, y’know,” He blows out smoke in Steve’s direction but keeps his blue eyes on everything but the boy on his bed, “Still be the same.” 

Steve groans and tangles his fingers in his hair, “You are so fucking _ confusing! _ You’re the one who’s pressing that it’s _ different, _now you’re saying you wish it was the same? Which is it?” 

“I can _ wish _ all I want, Steve. Ain’t gonna change a goddamn thing.” 

“I can’t change who I am, Billy. I don’t want to.” 

“But are you happy with who you are? If you _ could _be who you used to be, would you?”

Steve doesn’t answer. He sits in front of Billy and stares at him, trying to find something. What, he didn’t know. 

Then it clicks.

“I think I can find myself in you. If we work together,” Steve says hushed, like it’s a secret. 

Billy flashes his heart stopping smile, “There ya go, wonder boy, that’s the spirit.”

Steve rolls his eyes, “Don’t get cocky now.”

Billy leans forward, ruffling Steve’s hair, “You love me.”

“Oh, yeah, _ totally.” _

They look at each other, Def Leppard now playing quietly. 

Billy is dangerous now and Steve knows this. Billy’s got guns blazin’ around him and thorns wrapped in his leather jacket. He’s a dark lake with somethin’ scary hidden at the bottom that could jump out at any moment. But even with all that hanging over Billy’s head, he was so _ enticing _—something Steve surely couldn’t get enough of.

Billy rests his forehead against Steve’s, “We’re so fucked, pretty boy.”

Steve hums as an answer, simply taking in Billy’s touch. 

“I think we can both find who we used to be…if we do this right,” Billy whispers, putting his arms around Steve’s neck. 

Steve looks into Billy’s eyes —he can see the ocean, see the crashing waves and glimmering sun. 

“Think I got a Steve Harrington shaped hole in my heart and maybe it’s infected but only you can make it better,” Billy continues, his voice still so quiet since he’s so afraid Max will hear. 

“You got me always, Billy,” Steve whispers back, “I’ll hold you if you hold me.” 

Billy presses a gentle kiss to Steve’s lips and Steve kisses back; the same tenderness and love. A silent promise. 

Steve was still _ utterly _heartbroken. Still beaten and bloody from whatever happened with Nancy the other night. But the way Billy was holding him, kissing him and whispering about the west coast into his ear—Steve thinks he’ll be alright, as long as Billy’s got him. 

—

Bonnie drives out to the quarry, another dead demodog in the trunk. Another dark night, gripping the steering wheel and staring straight. 

Her mind is racing like always, desperately trying to figure out how to explain all this to Robin; who probably hates her now. How to save Will, how to get Jonathan to forgive and trust her. 

She parks by the ledge leading down to the lake and she drags the dog out, setting it down on the ground. Bonnie feels eyes watching her; eyes that hate her. She does nothing to acknowledge it and slowly takes her gloves off. She stares at her hands, pale and bony with the outline of an IV permanently burned into her left hand. 

Bonnie snaps her fingers, fire flickering out like a lighter and dancing around her as she burns the dog to a crisp before flinging it over the edge down into the water. 

“Holy shit,” She hears a whisper coming from the other side of her car. 

She whips around wide eyed, meeting Jonathan standing there. 

“What do you want?” Bonnie hisses, clenching her fists tightly.

“Your story. I want to know _ what _ you are,” Jonathan says simply, walking around to where she’s standing.

Bonnie backs away, getting a firm grasp on the door handle, “You don’t deserve to hear anything about me.”

Jonathan tilts his head, “Don’t you want to help Will?”

“You can’t manipulate me, Jonathan. I can help Will without you ever knowing.” 

He sighs and shakes his head, “You’re missing the point, Bonnibelle.”

Bonnie then shoots her hand up, putting Jonathan in a choke hold, “Don’t. Call. Me. That,” She sneers through gritted teeth. 

Jonathan coughs and puts his hands on his throat, looking at her like she’s crazy. She gives a last _ tight _ squeeze before letting go and speeding off in her car. She’s sure he’ll have scars, but she doesn’t care. 

So much for forgiveness.

Once she gets home, she finds Robin on the front steps with papers of some sort beside her. Before Bonnie can get a word in, Robin stands up, “What the hell was that thing?” 

Bonnie tries her best to pretend she doesn’t know what Robin’s talking about, “What _ thing _?”

“That monster thing you killed.”

Bonnie unlocks the door and walks in, Robin following with what seem to be newspapers in her hands, “I really don’t know what you mean, I’m sorry. You been smokin’ tonight or somethin’?” 

Robin clears her throat and opens up the news, “December 19th 1978, in Hayden, California. Over 15 doctors including the head Dr. Kenny Harrington have died along with four of the children under their care due to the lab being burnt to the ground by unknown circumstances. Subject number one, or the niece of Dr. Harrington, Bonnibelle May Harrington is missing in action. She is dangerous, however does not know her own name and only responds to double-oh-one, so if you see her please contact the California PD immediately.”

Bonnie flashes back to that night. The screaming of the kids, the way her skin was _ burning—“I’m not your mission anymore! I’m just a kid!” _

_ I’m just a kid, I’m just a kid, please let me go! _

Bonnie stands there, unable to respond, so Robin continues on, “February 15th 1979, in Hawkins, Indiana. Subject number one from the Hayden Experiments has been found and safely contained in the Hawkins Laboratory. She is believed to be responsible for the burning of the Hayden Lab. She is being taken care of by more amazing doctors that will nurse her back to a healthy state.”

Bonnie _ laughs _ , covering her mouth and _ laughing _ because how _ dare _ they say— “ _ Amazing _ doctors! That’s the funniest shit I’ve ever heard in my life!” 

Robin raises an eyebrow, “So you don’t deny this?”

Bonnie scoffs and sits up on the kitchen counter, “Obviously not, dipshit. That’s clearly my name.”

Robin flips through the smaller paper clippings, “Those LSD experiments, you were apart of them?” 

“_ Obviously. _ I practically fuckin’ _ started _ them.”

Robin grins, “That’s sick! Do you like, have powers and shit?”

Bonnie gives her a death glare, unamused by Robin’s excitement. 

Robin smile fades, “Oh, um…sorry…”

“Don’t be,” Bonnie mumbles, grabbing a cigarette from her pocket and strikes it against her arm like a match. It lights immediately and she holds it up to her mouth, staring blankly at the wall.

Robin slowly walks over to Bonnie, “You _ knew _ that monster was coming, right? That’s why you made me leave?” 

“Look at you, Sherlock.” 

“I just, I’ve read about the crazy theories about all these kids having these powers that only comic book heroes have, it’s crazy. I thought it was all fake.”

Bonnie blows out smoke, holding out her hand then a Coke slides across the counter, “Nope. It’s real.”

Robin’s eyes widen, “That is _ so _ fucking cool.” 

The Coke can opens, the fizzing sound echoing in the open kitchen, “Yep…so you know what I said that day at the quarry? That I could tell you everything? This is what I meant but…I just didn’t want you to get hurt, you feel?” 

Robin nods, standing in front of Bonnie and smiling, “I understand, bunny.”

Bonnie takes a sip of her cola, “I guess I…I haven’t really met all of me yet, does that make sense?” 

“Yeah, totally. So, like…how long were you there…?”

Bonnie shakily sighs, “Eight years. From when I was nine to sixteen.”

Robin gasps softly, “How old are you now…?”

“Eighteen.”

Robin doesn’t know what to say, so she wraps her arms around Bonnie’s waist and pulls her close. Bonnie rests her head on Robin’s shoulder, trying not to cry. 

“I’ll take care of you, bunny,” Robin whispers, combing her fingers through Bonnie’s hair.

“I’m rotten work,” She whispers back. 

“Not to me. Not if it’s you.” 

Bonnie looks up at her, tears in her eyes, “I’m a goddamn _ hurricane _, Robs. I’ll hurt you.”

Robin shakes her head, “I’ll stay here waiting, I’ll be here with the light on.”

“You’ll regret this.”

Robin gently cups Bonnie’s face, “I don’t think I will, little bunny.”

Bonnie smiles a little, “What, you gonna take me to new heights, lady bird?”

Robin laughs softly and kisses Bonnie’s nose, “I might. If you want to.” 

“As long as you’re there to catch me if I fall.”

Robin kisses her, making sure it’s not too much or not too little but it’s just right, it’s _ just _ right, and Bonnie _ is _crying now. Robin whispers, “Of course.”

Bonnie puts her head on Robin’s shoulder, crying silently as she clings onto Robin as tight as she can. Robin holds her — holds her in such a way that she’s reminding Bonnie of the warm sand where the waves kiss the edge, the bright sun that bronzed her skin and the breeze that flowed through her hair. 

“You remind me of home,” Bonnie says quietly, lifting her head to meet Robin’s gaze, “Just like it, really. Kinda like…the light at the end of this tunnel we had to drive through every day to get to school. It was always blinding and it hurt your eyes but…it was so beautiful, y’know?”

Robin rubs her thumb on Bonnie’s cheek, “I’m glad to be your light, bunny.”

Bonnie smiles a little, “Thanks for wanting to stick around.”

Robin kisses her again, “Anytime.”

—

_ The next day _

_ The Hargrove’s _

Steve was wide awake, and had been since 3am. He had forgotten to call Bonnie to tell her he was staying the night and was worried sick, seeing as how she couldn’t be alone. Sure, Robin was there, but she probably left. 

But, Steve couldn’t leave Billy. Couldn’t leave his arms, the way his golden curls tickled Steve’s face. Steve didn’t sleep anyway; the nightmares were always too bad. About the Upside Down, losing Bonnie, something happening to the kids; it was _ always _bad. He knew Bonnie would be okay, at least for a night. Even if she didn’t sleep either. 

And Steve knew this was a bad idea. It was _ such _ a _ bad _ fucking idea to stay, knowing that Neil could come home from Chicago at any moment. Even though Steve would put himself in between Billy and his shit father without a second thought. Always did when they were kids—Steve got plenty of slaps to the face just so Billy wouldn’t. 

However, Steve didn’t know about the broken ribs. The fractured cheekbone, the dislocated shoulder, the black eyes and permanent scars on Billy’s feet from all the running away. Billy was always running, from a million different things. Running from the blame, the screams and iron fists of his father. 

And now, running from the treacherous hope that Steve would give him the happiness Billy once felt. Billy knew Steve would _ never _give up, he would push and push until he saw Billy smile. They’re just skin and bone, trying to piece back together everything that’s been broken in between their eight years apart. 

Billy opens his eyes to the clock reading 9:00am, the spot beside his bed empty. He hears Max laughing in the kitchen and Steve singing along to a guitar solo in a Queen song. 

“That’s so off key!” Max giggles, “Freddie would be so disappointed.” 

“Nah, not a chance,” Steve says, ruffling Max’s hair and putting a waffle on her plate, “He’d _ love _me.”

Max rolls her eyes and grabs the syrup, “Oh, _ totally.” _

Billy sits up and takes his medications, the pills from the holy orange bottles that he was sure didn’t really help. He just made himself _ think _ they did. 

“Can you come to the arcade with the boys and I? _ Please _?” Max asks, holding out her words and whining like a toddler.

“Hm, maybe. I gotta work on some essay with Bonnie,” Steve replies with his mouth full. 

Max huffs, “You’re not fun.”

“Sorry, kiddo.”

Billy walks in and stretches, shoving Steve’s head a little, “Mornin’, dipshit. Made me breakfast?”

Steve huffs, “Owie, yes I did, ya dick. A thank you would be nice.” 

Billy flashes a grin and sits beside Max at the table, “Thanks, wonder boy.”

Steve sets down a mug of a coffee and plate full of waffles in front of Billy, “No probs. I gotta head out soon, Bon’s and I have got so much homework we need to do.” 

Billy pouts, “Oh, _ c’mon _ . Surely you can stick around a _ little _ bit longer.”

“I _ would _ if I _ could, _ya brat,” Steve says, sipping on his own coffee. 

“I’ll see you at the game tonight, right?”

“Duh, I’m on the team,” Steve puts on his jacket then ruffles Billy’s bed head curls, “Of course I’ll be there.”

“I’ll beat your ass if you’re not.”

Steve just rolls his eyes, “I’d like to see you try,” before heading out the door and driving home. 

Max giggles at Billy but doesn’t say anything.

“Whatcha laughing at ginger snap?” 

“Nothin’,” She giggles again, “Nothin’ at all.”

—

Will wasn’t getting any better.

In fact, he was getting almost even worse than his last encounter with the Upside Down.

Jonathan had yet to tell his mom or Nancy about what happened the night before at the quarry since he, honestly, was scared of Bonnie. God knows that Jonathan wouldn’t let _ anyone _ figure that out. 

He had always gotten a vibe off Bonnie ever since Eleven came into their lives. Harrington reminded him a lot of the strange little girl from the lab, but he always brushed it off. 

Will walks into the living room where Jonathan sits, looking paler and even _ more _dead inside, “Jonathan. We need to go to Bonnie.”

“Absolutely not. She’ll hurt you.” 

“No she won’t. She knows.”

“Knows what?”

“Where he is.”

Jonathan sighs, “Who, the Flayer?”

Will nods.

“Fine. We’ll go to their house later.”

Will doesn’t respond and goes back to his room. 

—

Robin sits at band practice during a break, her mind completely and utterly focused on everything but the music she should be rehearsing. 

She’s thinking about Bonnie’s gentle laugh, her tired eyes, chestnut curls and the way her voice was so silky when she read Robin her favorite poems. The way she felt in Robin’s arms when they danced in the kitchen in the light of the fridge with no music playing and how their lips fit together like the petals on a rose. Robin held her the entire night, even when Bonnie woke up crying at 2am and through her tears explained that this happened every night and she was shocked Robin was still there. Robin promised Bonnie that she’d never leave, she was there for good. 

“I’ve spent nearly my whole life alone,” Bonnie whispered as the moonlight painted itself across her face, “And I had convinced myself it was the only way I could ever be. But now…now I never want to be lonely again.”

“I’ll keep the light on for you _ always _, Bonnie,” Robin had whispered back.

Tammy’s annoyed voice snaps Robin out of her thoughts, “Buckley. Oh my god, are you, like, deaf?” 

“No, sorry, I zoned out.” 

“Did you not sleep last night?” Tammy asks, sitting down beside her. 

“Nah, I slept fine.”

Tammy gets this grin, “Oh, you were with _ her, weren't _ you?”

Robin’s face turns bright red, “Shut the fuck up.”

Tammy keeps smiling ear to ear, “Robs that’s adorable!”

Robin rolls her eyes, “Yeah, yeah.”

“So, tell me _ everything,” _Tammy says in the most high pitched valley girl voice possible

Robin laughs, “Jesus, Tam, never talk like that again. I dunno, Bon’s pretty chill. She actually _ isn’t _ a mega bitch.”

“Not even!”

“Oh, _ even _. She’s, like, really nice. Likes to watch movies and she has this book full of her favorite poetry…she told me she writes her own too.” 

“I dunno, Robs…she is the _ queen _ of being double sided. Don’t you remember what happened with Beth Wildfire last year?”

Robin sighs, “Yeah, but like, we never really figured out what _ actually _ went down. It was a complete rumor.” 

“And Tina’s Halloween party this year with Nancy Wheeler.” 

Robin smirks a little, “I have very fond memories of Tina’s Halloween party, thank you very much.” 

Tammy shoves Robin’s shoulder and laughs before their director calls them back onto the field.

—

Steve is sat at the kitchen table with papers scattered around him and a book opened up to fully annotated pages. He truly had no idea what he was doing, but hey, he can try.

Bonnie was already done with her essay, as it _ was _on Mansfield Park and she had read the damn thing countless times so a simple two page paper was a breeze. She’s got her nose in a new book, something by Charles Bukowski. 

Then, there’s a knock at the door, “Stevie, let us in! It’s cold as balls!” 

Steve groans, “Jesus, why do they have to show up _ now?” _

“Just go let them in, Stevie. I can put a movie on for them,” Bonnie says, not looking up from the pages between her fingers. 

Steve reluctantly gets up and opens the door to the group of kids, besides Will, standing there freezing, but with a new addition. She’s got a head full of brown curly hair and a soft smile, almost a mini version of Bonnie. 

“This is El,” Mike grins.

Steve smiles, “Hey El, I’m Steve.”

She waves and smiles back. 

Steve steps aside and lets them in. He goes right back to the table, practically ignoring the banter from the kids. 

Bonnie looks up and she gasps, loud enough for Steve to hear.

The talking seems to stop. There’s a stare being held between Bonnie and El—a stare that screams _ I know you. _

“Ellie?” Bonnie says softly, getting up from her seat.

A smile spreads across El’s face, “Bonnie!”

“Oh, my sweet girl!” Bonnie picks her up and hugs her, “Look at you, oh my goodness!”

El hugs Bonnie tightly, burying her face into Bonnie’s neck. 

“I’ve missed you, pumpkin. How are you?”

“Good. Hop took me in,” El says quietly.

“I’m so glad, you deserve it,” Bonnie rubs her back, “You feel safe? ‘Cause that’s what matters.”

El nods, “Very safe.”

“Well, you kiddos can go put on a movie, Stevie and I got homework to do.” 

“My best friend is possessed. Can’t we focus on that?” Mike asks, almost with a _ pleading _ tone. 

Bonnie sighs, “You’re right. Problem is, Jonathan absolutely hates my guts and I nearly killed him the other night so…”

“You _ what _?” They all say in unison.

Bonnie rolls her eyes and leans against the wall, crossing her arms, “A demodog came in from the forest so I killed it, y’know easy shit, then I drove out to the quarry to throw it over the lake and the motherfucker was _ there, _ he was _ watching _ me like some _ stalker _ . I just choked him for, like, five seconds. Nothing _ too _ bad.”

Steve hits the palm of his hand hard against his forehead, “Jesus, Bonnie, I can never leave you alone can I?”

“I would have done it even if you were there.” 

“That’s just great,” Mike slides down into one of the chairs, “Fantastic.”

“Listen, there’s not much _ I _ personally can do. We need to find where the gate is, close it, and basically just…I dunno, do an exorcism. And Dustin don’t you _ dare _take one of those brownies, they’ve got weed in them.”

Dustin’s eyes go wide, “I wasn’t gonna take one.” 

“Yes you were. And no, Max, your brother isn’t a lab kid. Just knows about it cause I wrote him letters.”

Max looks at her confused, “How did you know I was gonna ask that?”

Bonnie shrugs and lights a cigarette, “Magic.”

Ellie grins and looks up at Bonnie with admiration, “She’s the coolest isn’t she?” 

Bonnie ruffles her hair, “You’re even _ cooler _, Ellie Jane.”

Ellie smiles then reaches into her messenger back, pulling out a stuffed elephant, “I still have Elfie! Remember you gave him to me?”

Bonnie’s eyes well up with tears and she nods, “I do, sweetie. I’m glad he’s still with you.”

Ellie wraps her arms around Bonnie again, giving her a hug, “I’m glad you’re okay, bunny.” 

Then, there’s another knock at the door. 

“Bonnie, it’s Jonathan! Open up!”

Bonnie squeezes Ellie’s shoulder before walking over and opening the door, “What do you want?”

His eyes are bloodshot and there’s charcoal on his hands, “Your help. _ Please _ . It’s Will…I…I don’t know what’s going _ on _, he’s getting so pale and he won’t eat…”

Bonnie looks back at the kids and Steve then back at Jonathan, “C’mon, guys. Steve stay here, alright? I’ll call if I need you.”

Steve simply nods, sending daggers in Jonathan’s direction. 

—

“We need to take him to the lab,” Joyce insists, holding a crying Will to her chest.

Bonnie wants to do everything but that. She can’t go back there, not now, not ever. Neither could Ellie. 

“Then you’ll need to go without Ellie and I.” 

“But you know what’s wrong with him, Bonnie,” Jonathan says, his voice still pleading and _ begging _. 

Bonnie clenches her fists, “I will _ not _ go back into that lab unless Steve is in there dying, you hear me!” 

Jonathan sighs, “Whatever. You’re just making up excuses to not help.”

Bonnie scoffs and rolls her eyes, “That’s bullshit. Don’t put words into my mouth. Dr. Owens will know what to do, why do you need me?”

Jonathan doesn’t reply to this.

“That’s what I fucking thought,” Bonnie then leans down beside Will, putting a hand gently on his shoulder, “Dr. Owens is a good man, Will. He’ll try and help you okay?” 

Will nods weakly, still clinging to his mom. 

—

Lucas didn’t really _ want _ to be spending his evening by a hospital bed with his best friend in it. He didn’t _ want _ to be watching his best friend completely start to lose himself, yet here he was. 

Mike had stayed back to be with Ellie, of course. Lucas could tell this broke Will’s heart, but maybe Will was used to it. Used to Mike only ever caring about the brunette he barely knew. 

Jonathan and Joyce talk with Dr. Owens outside the room while Max sits beside Lucas, messing with the bracelets on her wrists. 

“So um that…that Ellie Jane girl, who is she?”

“Lab kid,” Lucas says, his eyes still focused on Will who was now asleep, “Her number was eleven, I’m guessing her real name is Jane.”

Max smiles a little and nods, “I gotcha.”

Lucas looks over at her and the way she’s smiling at the ground, a kinda blush on her on her cheeks. He doesn’t say anything and looks back at Will, desperately trying to think of what he could do. He’s mad that Mike isn’t here because Mike means the _ world _ to Will and he should _ be here. _

But he isn’t and Lucas thinks this is the perfect time to show Will that _ he cares _. Not Mike. 

Mike isn’t meant for Will, no matter how much Will tries to convince himself otherwise. 

—

_ Hawkins High showers _

_ After the basketball game _

Steve’s got a cut on his face from a ball decking him in the face that’s still bleeding a bit and his entire body feels like a giant bruise. The other team was so brutal, all of the guys much bigger than Steve was used to. 

Billy was talking out on the court, warming down with the other boys. Tommy walks into the showers, looking exhausted too, “Hey there Stevie.”

Steve yawns and washes the shampoo out of his hair, “Heya. Played good tonight.”

Tommy smiles, “Thanks man, you too. How’s that cut?”

“Hurts like a bitch honestly. My whole _ body _ hurts.” 

Tommy turns on the shower beside Steve and smirks, “Shouldn’t you be used to that?”

Steve blushes but hides it with the suds, “Shut up, Holloway.”

“Why don’t you come over tonight? I’ve been missin’ you.”

Steve hesitates, remembering his promise to be with Billy, “I already have plans, I’m sorry.”

Tommy rolls his eyes, “With who? Your sister?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. It’s our movie night.”

Tommy huffs in defeat, “_ Fine _ . You’re not any _ fun _ anymore, Stevie. I _ miss _ you.” 

“I’m sorry, Toms,” Is all Steve can manage to say. 

—

Once Steve gets home, he notices there’s a sleek black car a couple houses down that he’s never seen before. It has tinted windows and a license plate from Chicago. Weird.

Steve doesn’t really think anything of it and goes inside, “Hey Bon, I’m home!”

No answer.

He goes upstairs to see if she’s in her room, which she isn’t. 

Weird. 

He calls Billy, who answers, “Yo, what’s up?”

“Hey, have you seen Bonnie? She’s not home.”

“Uh, no, I think she took Max to the Byers though. Can I come over?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He hangs up then calls Joyce and again, no answer. 

He, again, thinks nothing of it and waits for Billy at the door, eyeing the creepy car. 


	7. Bad Idea!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW’s: legit straight up murder, like very mild torture?? ((it’s just mention of electroshock therapy)) and implications of childhood abuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m so sorry this took so long and that this chapter is so short, ive really been struggling with writing recently lolz but yeah i’m sorry it’s really not that good 
> 
> hope ya like it anyway :)

_ Bonnie’s journal _

_ Dated April 06, 1984 _

The ocean is a mysterious place. It beckons you in a way nothing else can, it calls your soul— _ come join me. _ The ocean knows that you’re just as much of a mystery as it is. Find yourself in the water and find yourself at the bottom where it’s too dark to see. I know the Atlantic has taken my entire being; and I will never get it back. My childhood—if i can even call it that—got stuck under my surfboard as I swam and it’s sitting rusty at the bottom of that glimmering blue water. I can’t get it back—and I will never be able to accept that. Whatever tiny piece of me I still have, I sure as hell can't find it in Hawkins. 

Billy wrote in a letter one time— _ are you okay?  _ The ocean misses you and it’s wondering; are you  _ okay _ ? Simply;  _ yes.  _ I am free, I can breathe. I am no longer confined to four walls; I can  _ breathe.  _

Billy wrote in that letter—Are you  _ actually  _ okay, or are you just too distracted by what your heart is telling you to  _ really  _ listen?

Simply; yes. My heart is a distraction and it always will be but in the end, distraction keeps you alive. 

So, my heart, the ocean still crashing waves against my chest— _ keep _ distracting me. 

_ The Harrington’s _

Steve wakes up in his boxers beside Billy; still dead to the world and nearly suffocating himself with his own hair. Steve remembers last night and he remembers it well, mostly because of his pounding headache. Billy had come in with an awful black eye and fresh bright purple bruises on his arms. He  _ insisted  _ he got into a fight, but Steve…he knew. Billy said he needed a drink, needed to find someone to fuck and he  _ knew  _ he was being suggestive, so Steve read in between the lines and they ended up on Steve’s bed—completely drunk, completely high, completely living in their own little world.

Problem was, Steve was only thinking of Nancy. Her pretty bambi legs, innocent eyes, how  _ pretty  _ she is. How he had  _ royally _ fucked up. 

He has to check the pool, check the doors  _ every single night.  _

Billy asked why Steve stood by the doors leading outside and Steve looked at him, broke down, and told him. Told him about the girl named Barbara who died in his backyard and that it was  _ completely, utterly  _ his fault. Billy didn’t really understand, but there was nothing he hated more than seeing his best friend cry and blame himself. All their lives, even as kids, Steve blamed himself for everything. For their parents fights, for Bonnie being gone, for their parents never being home now. Billy tried to say that Barb was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Steve just sobbed saying  _ he  _ was the one in the wrong place. 

Billy rolls over to Steve crying over the bathroom sink, his pale skin littered with small cuts and bruises from demodog fights. 

Billy hauls himself out of bed, wrapping his arms around Steve’s waist, “What’s wrong pretty boy?” 

“Bonnie’s not home,” Steve whispers, “I don’t know where she is, I…I think the bad men are back.”

Billy tilts his head, tucking Steve’s hair behind his ear, “Bad men?”

Steve nods and lets out a shaky breath, “The doctors…the…the ones that hurt Bunny.” 

“How do you know?”

“I…I’ve seen some cars lately just creeping around…I think they know Bonnie lives here…”

Billy frowns, “I think Bonnie can fight, Stevie. She knows what to do.”

Steve’s tears keep flowing, “No! She’ll get scared!” 

Billy rubs his back, “Sh, shh, Stevie we’ll go find her okay? We’ll find her,” He pulls Steve to his chest and holds him as he keeps crying, his body almost  _ shaking _ . 

“This town is tiny, I’m sure she couldn’t have gone far,” Billy whispers as Steve slowly calms down. 

“She’ll get scared, Malibu…she…she gets so scared when I’m not with her,” Steve whispers back, clinging onto a pendant around his neck. 

“I know, Stevie,” He presses a kiss to Steve’s forehead, “She’s okay, I know she is.”

_ The Upside Down _

Bonnie walks around the cold and scary wasteland, searching for something. She didn’t know exactly what, she guesses just an explanation. Will had been in her dreams, his eyes becoming more and more lifeless every time she saw him—it was  _ heartbreaking.  _

The silence is crushing, it makes the tiny whispers in Bonnie’s head even louder than they normally were and she can’t  _ stand it _ . She needed to be here, though, needed to find answers. Needed to help Will as best she could. 

She knew it would ultimately lead her to the lab. Back to the place that held her captive nearly her whole life, where her most vivid nightmares reside. It didn’t matter; because Will was a  _ kid.  _ He was just a kid, he didn’t deserve any of this. 

She sees Will in Castle Byers, so she walks over to him and leans down, “Will?” 

He looks up at her then instantly clings to her, crying into her chest. She holds him close and rubs his back, “Shh, sh it’s okay little one, it’s okay, how did you get here? Are you under?”

He nods, his voice so  _ shaky _ , “H-Have been for awhile. Mom doesn’t know.”

“Are you at the lab, or back home?”

“L-Lab.” 

“Okay little one, I’ll…I’ll be there soon, I promise, we’re gonna get you out of this,” Bonnie gently puts her hand to Will’s forehead and whispers, “Go back.” Then he disappears from her arms. 

_ Hawkins Lab _

Will jolts awake, his eyes wide and body even colder than before. Lucas is beside him still fast asleep and his mom is outside smoking a cig, he assumes. His memory of everybody is becoming hazy. He doesn’t quite remember who Mike, Lucas or Dustin is; he thinks they're his friends. Will knows Bonnie, in fact she’s the  _ only _ one he can remember in vivid detail. Maybe the Flayer knows her too?

Bonnie rolls up in her Pontiac, her entire body feeling even more on fire than normal. Her hands won’t stop shaking and her chest is so tight—she keeps telling herself  _ this is for Will.  _

Jonathan is leaning against his car smoking a cigarette and he has very faint scars in his throat. Bonnie  _ almost _ senses a  _ bit _ of guilt, because she can’t imagine how Jonathan feels. 

She gets out and walks up to him, “Hey.”

He looks up and smiles just a little, “Hey.”

“I, um…I’m sorry about the other night.”

He shrugs, “I don’t care.”

She looks up at the lab and almost starts crying. She instinctively crosses her arms across her chest tightly and takes a deep breath, turning back towards Jonathan, “Where’s Will?” 

“I’ll take you up there in a minute.”

Bonnie nods and stares at her feet.

“I know…I know it’s hard for you to be here.”

“No shit,” she mumbles. 

“Seriously, Bonnie. I’m thankful you’re trying to help.” 

She looks up at him and his eyes are so  _ tired,  _ like he hasn’t slept in days, “I just…I keep putting myself in your shoes, y’know? Thinking about what I’d do if it was Steve…I’d lose my  _ mind _ .” 

Jonathan laughs a little, tossing the cig down and stomping on it, “Yeah, I bet.”

“We’re really sorry, Jonathan.”

“About what?”

“Everything that happened last year. I was so… _ so _ ignorant and just tried to make myself believe you weren’t being sucked into all this Upside Down shit…I’ve lived with that my  _ entire _ life, I didn’t want to believe other people were being forced to deal with it too.” 

Jonathan nods, “I understand. Really, your  _ whole _ life?”

“Well, eight years of it. I don’t remember much from before that.”

Jonathan nods again, “Wanna go see Will?”

Bonnie turns towards the lab again and squeezes her arms tighter together, “Yeah.”

He walks inside with her up to Will’s room and thankfully, Bonnie doesn’t know these halls. She was kept in the basement, so it’s not as if she would know where she was. 

“Bonnie, it’s nice seeing you,” Dr. Owens says with a smile. 

She looks up and whispers, “Hello.”

“How are you doing?” 

“I’m…I’m okay…how’s Will?” 

Dr. Owens sighs, “Not well. He’s losing his memory, which is the biggest thing. I don’t really know what to do, honestly. What do you think?”

“Well…the Flayer likes it cold, so we’ll have to…burn it out of Will somehow.” 

Jonathan’s eyes go wide, “Burn it?”

“Yeah, I…don’t know,” Bonnie sighs, almost defeated. 

“We’ll think of something, Bonnie,” Dr. Owens says as he opens the door to Will’s room. He’s awake and staring at the ceiling, completely motionless.

She walks over to him slowly and says softly, “Will?”

He doesn’t move his head, only his eyes, to look at her. 

She sits beside him and puts a hand on his shoulder, “Hey there…do you know your name?”

“Will Byers,” He whispers.

Bonnie nods then points to Jonathan, “Who is that?”

“Jonathan. Brother.”

“Good, now what about him?” Bonnie asks, nodding to Lucas beside her. 

Will hesitates, looks at him, “Lucas?”

He smiles and nods, “That’s me, dude.”

Will shakily sighs before sitting up, “I can’t remember anything.”

“I know…here,” Bonnie reaches into her bag and pulls out a notebook with a pen, “Write down what you do. Read it over and over.”

Will takes the book and stares at it.

“Write down names, places, anything you can remember alright?”

Will nods and starts doing just that.

_ The Harrington’s _

“And how in God’s name can we be sure we can trust this dude?” Billy huffs, getting into the passenger seat of the beemer. 

Steve shrugs, “Honestly we can’t. But, I’ve done research. He should be able to tell us what’s going on.”

“What’s going on?”

Steve sighs, “I already  _ told _ you. The bad men are back, and I’m certain they’re not only after Bonnie, but Will and Ellie Jane too.” 

Steve starts the car and heads off to nowhere then Billy asks, “Why Will?”

“He’s a vessel for whatever demon got conjured up down there. Murray will probably know what that thing is too. And why the demogorgons evolved.”

Billy simply nods, putting a cigarette in his mouth.

“How do  _ you _ know what those are?” Steve asks after a few minutes of silence. 

“The ‘gorgons?”

Steve nods.

Billy blows out smoke and pops in a Metallica tape, “Fought ‘em back in Cali. Once Bon burned down the lab they were everywhere. Annoying little shits. They were smaller back then, though.  _ Lot _ smaller.”

Steve nods, “Ah, I see.”

“What about you?”

“Oh…uh, they first showed up last year…killed one at Jonathan’s house. They became a common thing and we’d go monster hunting almost every night until we were able to mostly kill them off. Guess they, like, repopulated or something. I don’t even wanna know.”

“Well, like Bonnie said, there’s a gate open somewhere letting them all out. Don’t think we can do anything about that, unless Bonnie knows how to close it.”

Steve looks confused, “A gate? To the Upside Down?”

Billy nods, then Steve sees a cop car so he slows down. It’s Hop, standing at the edge of the pumpkin patch. Steve parks and the two boys get out of the beemer, “What’s up, Chief?”

Hopper blows out smoke from his cigarette and turns towards them, “You tell me, kid.”

Steve looks at the rotting pumpkins and nearly gags at the smell, “ _ Jesus _ , this is grody.” 

Hop nods, “Think your sister would know about this?” 

Steve peers down into the rotting ground which opened up to a dark hole, a soft blue light illuminating the vine covered walls, “Maybe. I got gloves and my nail bat in the trunk, I can go down there. Y’know, check it out.” 

Billy looks down, “I mean, I guess. Doesn’t look too bad.” 

Hopper shrugs, “If you want to, kid. You got more experience with this bullshit than I do.” 

Steve looks up at Hop confused, “Didn’t you go down there last year?”

“True, but this looks different.”

Billy hands Steve his nail bat, goggles, bandana and gloves, “The Upside Down is all the same, Chief.”

Steve puts on his getup and it makes Billy laugh because of how idiotic he looked. 

“You look like a housewife, Stevie,” Billy snorts.

Steve shoves Billy’s shoulders, “Dickhead. I don’t wanna, like, get pneumonia. God knows what other diseases are down there.”

Billy rolls his eyes, “Alrighty, whatever you say, Batman.” 

Hopper gets a rope and ties it to the bumper of the cop car, then tying the end to Steve’s belt, “Tug three times when you wanna come out, got it?”

Steve nods, “Got it, Chief.”

Billy ruffles Steve’s hair, “Stay safe down there, Stevie. Don’t want your sister burning my hair off or some shit.”

Steve laughs, “She  _ would _ do that,” Before jumping down into the dark unknown. 

_ The Hargrove’s  _

_ Max’s room _

“California? What’s that?”

Max smiles, flipping through the one of scrapbooks she has on her bed, “Oh, it’s on the west coast, like,  _ mega  _ far from here.”

Ellie Jane is looking at the pictures too, stopping and staring at the ones of the ocean, “What’s this?”

Max still doesn’t  _ quite _ understand why this kinda weird girl doesn’t know what simple things are, but Max answers Ellie’s questions anyway, “That’s the ocean. It makes up, like, 95% of the world.” 

Ellie nods and keeps flipping through the books, occasionally glancing up at Max. She was  _ pretty _ —pretty like Nancy and Bonnie—had freckles painted like stars across her rosy cheeks, a typa bright red hair Ellie had never seen before, sparkly eyes. Full of life and honestly, much more fun than Mike. 

“Max?”

She looks up, “Yeah?”

“Are you my…friend?”

Max laughs a little under her breath, “I can be. Having all guy friends is cool and all, but y’know they can kinda be  _ pests _ sometimes. Lucas never shuts up about Star Wars, it’s  _ mega _ annoying.” 

Ellie nods, “There was a girl I met, when I went to Chicago. I ran away, ‘cause I’m  _ not _ stupid. Her name was Kali…Bonnibelle tells me not to trust her. Kali told me not to trust Bonnibelle. It makes my head hurt.”

“Grown ups are dumb, Ellie, they never know what they’re talkin’ about. They’re always lyin’ to keep stuff from us,” Max says, handing Ellie a lollipop.

She takes it and frowns, “But, friends don’t lie.”

“No, but grown ups do. All. The. Time.”

“You don’t lie, right?”

Max nods, “Right.”

Ellie puts the lollipop and her mouth, smiling, “Friends?”

Max smiles back, feeling her heart flutter, “Friends.”

_ The pumpkin patch  _

It had been over 20 minutes without a single word or shout from Steve. Hopper was sitting in his cop car unfazed, while Billy was worried out of his mind and pacing holes into the ground. He had no clue what was down there, other than his Stevie, who was as usual acting bigger than his britches and Billy knew Steve was  _ terrified.  _ He thought about driving to a phone booth and calling Bonnie, the only problem being Billy had  _ no _ idea where she was. 

Billy thinks about going down there too when he’s broken away from his thoughts to Steve screaming at the top of his lungs, “ _ Billy _ !” 

It sounds like the scream that echoed in the basement of the Harrington’s house on Bayview Heights Drive the night Steve found Bonnie knocked out with a bloody nose on the ground. It’s filled with the same amount of pure  _ terror  _ and fear as when Steve almost drowned because he got stuck in a rip tide during hurricane season. 

And just like both of those times, Billy acts before he thinks. The rope holding Steve snaps, earning another loud scream from Steve.

“Chief! Get me your gun, goddamnit!” Billy yells, “Something’s got him!”

Hopper runs out, “Fuckin’ hell!” He tosses Billy the gun before Billy jumps down with a flashlight, “Steve! Stevie! Where are you?!”

Steve’s crying is echoing off the dark walls, “Here!” He sounds like he’s _choking, _like he can’t _breathe. _

Billy rounds a corner and finds Steve completely covered tightly in black vines, one of them trying to get a grasp on his neck. There are tears pouring from Steve’s eyes which are as wide as a full moon and he breathes out, “Help.”

Billy’s frozen in place for a few seconds, completely horrified as to what he was seeing. He finally snaps out of it and fumbles for the lighter in his back pocket, mumbling curses and the wish that Bonnie was there before lighting his Zippo up at the bottom of the vines. 

The vines retract, flailing around at the heat causing Will back at the hospital to start seizing like  _ crazy.  _ He’s screaming in what seems to be  _ two  _ voices, the veins on his neck almost  _ black.  _

Steve drops to the ground, his body shaking. Billy instantly catches him, before tossing the gun up and hauling Steve onto the grass then Hopper hoists Billy up. Steve is still shaking, still crying. Billy takes off the goggles, the gloves and he realizes that Steve is  _ still  _ clinging to his nail bat with white knuckles. 

“Stevie, let go, you’re okay,” Billy whispers, helping Steve sit up, “C’mon let’s get you home.”

“No!” Steve shouts, nearly leaping to his feet, “We’re going to Murray’s. I want to fucking know what this shit is.” 

Now there’s a fire burning behind his eyes, a fire as bright as Bonnie. It’s borderline scary and Billy knows to never get in the way of either sibling. 

When they want something done, they get it  _ done _ . 

Will’s fallen back asleep, the black veins subsiding; for now. They had been there  _ very  _ faintly ever since Bonnie had visited. Joyce has her head in her hands with Nancy and Jonathan beside her. Bonnie is in the corner with her gloveless hands on Lucas and Mike’s shoulders calming them down. 

“This is your fault,” Jonathan mumbles.

Bonnie lifts her head, “What?”

Jonathan meets her gaze, “This is  _ your _ fucking fault. You admitted you’ve been going down there,  _ you’re _ the one who opened the gate. You  _ let _ this happen.”

Bonnie is speechless for a few seconds then she takes a deep breath, trying to keep her composure, “Jonathan, the doctors have been keeping a gate open underground for research purposes. The ones on the right side up are too small now for anything to escape.” 

“Doesn’t fucking matter. Why can’t you just close it? Why haven’t you stopped  _ all  _ of this shit? Where were you when this bullshit started happening?” 

Bonnie doesn’t respond and puts on her gloves. 

Jonathan’s fists tighten and nearly yells, “Answer me!” 

Bonnie jumps, “I-I can’t…I don’t know, Jonathan, I really, really don’t. All of that it’s…it’s out of my  _ control.” _

Jonathan scoffs, “Whatever. I don’t trust you.”

“Alright,” Bonnie answers, her voice wavering. She gets up, plants a kiss to Will’s forehead then walks out. Nancy hesitates for a few seconds, since her head is split between two sides. She understands why Jonathan is upset, understands he’s stressed. But on the flipside, she understands that Bonnie is most likely,  _ genuinely _ , clueless. Bonnie’s wanting answers just as much as everyone else. 

As Bonnie’s making her way down the hall, someone grabs her and pulls her into a room. She screams as loud as she can, but a leather gloved hand covers her mouth, “Shut  _ up _ !” 

Bonnie kicks and fights, but whoever is holding her doesn’t budge. The door slams and locks shut, then she gets pushed back into a metal chair. 

There’s only one light and it’s shining brightly on her face like the California sun. Then there’s straps around her wrists and ankles— _ please God no, please not this, just  _ ** _hear_ ** _ me! Hear me! I’m just a kid, please, please hear me.  _

“Where is Jane,” A female’s voice asks.

Bonnie is unable to speak; her body is shaking more than a red flag during  _ hurricane _ season. 

“Where is Jane?!” The voice repeats.

“Show yourself,” Bonnie gets out, barely a whisper. 

Whoever it was steps into the light for Bonnie to see and of course, it’s Kali.

“Kali,” Bonnie sighs, “I’m not surprised.”

Kali scoffs, “Just tell me where she is and this can be easy for both of us.”

“I won’t tell you a damn  _ thing _ . You told her lies that she  _ believed _ , she is a  _ child!”  _

Kali leans down in front of Bonnie’s face, “You and her little cop of a dad cannot  _ save _ her, Bonnibelle. She’s gonna end up like you, can’t you see? Completely  _ fake  _ and still working for the people that kept her captive.”

“Dr. Brenner is dead, Kali. There’s  _ no _ one that can hurt her anymore, that includes you. You’re not a threat to them.”

“You don’t  _ know _ that,” Kali sneers, her black eyeshadow messier than ever. 

“You’re a threat to her! You’re manipulating her tiny brain into believing absolute bullshit things! I won’t let her fall for your tricks like I did.”

Kali falls silent. 

“Let me go.  _ Now _ . And I won’t hurt you. You know what I’m capable of, Eight. Don’t make me have another death on my conscience.” 

Kali sighs and reluctantly undos the straps, knowing Bonnie is right. She’s  _ definitely _ more powerful than Kali is almost in every way. 

Bonnie stands up and tries to steady herself, having horrible flashbacks of—

“ _ That is a high voltage, but we can do it at your request, Mr. Harrington.”  _

_ “My daughter isn’t a pussy. Isn’t that right, Bonnibelle?” _

_ Bonnie can’t speak, not with the plastic tube tied across her mouth.  _

_ John chuckles with a evil smirk, “Go ahead, she can take it”.  _

_ The rods are so cold, so very cold like the ocean in February. The electricity that shoots through every fiber of her being is hot, burning hot and she can’t scream, she can’t call out for her father, for Steve—she is alone and helpless.  _

_ She can’t even think. She doesn’t think until that night in the padded room she called home.  _

_ Her father bids her goodnight, cooing that he’s just so proud of her. _

_ A thought finally forms in her head—you can’t be proud of me. You don’t get to be. The only thing you’ve ever done to help me become something more, to help me grow and learn was  _ ** _hurt_ ** _ me.  _

_ All you’ve ever done is hurt me, she repeats to herself over and over.  _

—of how it used to be. Bonnie shoves past Kali and down to her Pontiac, her chest so  _ tight.  _ She tries to calm herself down, but that goddamn lab, this entire fucking  _ town _ ; it’s so  _ suffocating.  _ Nancy had given up on going after Bonnie, since Jonathan was practically smoking at how angry he was.

But Bonnie was angry too. Not just at Kali, not just at Hawkins. Maybe she was always upset. All that rage was continually being pushed down and down and  _ down. _

And she only ever dealt with that rage by hurting someone. Or something. Unhealthy, she knows. She was so  _ beyond _ angry; she was  _ incandescent _ and she needed to take it out on something. 

Then, Bonnie remembers a flash of a man in her memories with a whiskey coated voice, yelling at her. Yelling at her like John did. Hitting Billy like the doctors did. How Bonnie had  _ promised _ Billy that when they got older, she’d make sure Neil paid for what he did. 

Tonight was the night she’d carry out that promise. 

_ Murray’s bunker  _

Steve was still beyond shaken up, fueled with even  _ more _ rage since he wanted answers and he wanted them  _ now.  _ Billy thought it was hot as hell, the way Steve was clutching the steering wheel and driving way too fast, blasting AC/DC (which he normally hated, by the way). 

Steve parks in the middle of nowhere, Indiana and gets out of the car, slamming the door shut. He pounds on a metal door, “It’s Harrington, Murray! Open up!” 

Silence. 

Billy gets out and puts on his denim jacket, standing behind Steve, “Calm down, pretty boy.”

“Don’t tell me to  _ calm down.”  _

Murray opens the door and grins but then his smile fades, “Oh how disappointing, I was expecting the other one.”

Steve scoffs, “Whatever, I need your help.”

“I know you do, you’re a long way from home,” Murray steps aside, “Come in, did you bring your boyfriend?”

Billy laughs, “Nah, I ain’t no boyfriend.” 

Steve huffs and flops down on the couch, lighting a cigarette. 

Murray raises an eyebrow, “Then what are you?”

Billy smiles, “Childhood best friend. Billy Hargrove.” 

Murray nods, “Ah, I see.” 

Billy sits across from Steve in a worn down recliner, putting his boots up on the table. Steve is pouting like the baby he is, staring ahead, “There’s a new monster.”

“I’m aware,” Murray replies, putting down three beers on the table. 

“So, tell me what you know. I need to keep Bonnie safe.” 

Murray sighs, “Your sister is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.”

“That’s what I said,” Billy says, opening his beer, “He doesn’t listen, never does.”

“Bullshit!” Steve retorts, borderline whining. 

Billy just smirks, “Mhm. You keep tellin’ yourself that, wonder boy.”

“I do listen just fuckin’ fine. I want what’s best for my sister, God knows who’s gonna try and hurt her!” 

“She’ll kill ‘em in a snap, Stevie. You and I both know that.”

“I don’t care! You never know what the bad men can do.”

Murray laughs, shaking his head, “God, you two argue like an old married couple. Lovers quarrels, I tell you.” 

Steve gasps, like he’s  _ offended,  _ “Lovers quarrel? The hell?”

Billy snorts, “Havin’ sex once doesn’t mean we’re  _ lovers _ .”

Steve’s face turns bright red, “Shut the fuck  _ up _ .” 

Murray laughs loudly, taking a sip from his beer, “I like your honesty, Hargrove.”

Steve crosses his arms and huffs, “I hate you both.” 

“Oh, c’mon. I can read right through you two. Both got shitty dads, spitfire sisters that get into trouble too much, absent mothers.”

Billy is taken back and stomps his boots down, “You better watch your fuckin’ mouth.” 

“And afraid of the truth,” Murray grins, “We’ll discuss everything in the morning, I got a pizza in the fridge. There’s a pull out then a bed right over there. Try not to kill each other, alright?” 

Murray then disappears upstairs, leaving the two equally frustrated boys down in the living room. 

_ The Hargrove’s  _

Bonnie had curled her hair so perfectly Brooke Shields would be jealous, with cherub pink cheeks and cherry stained lips. She squeezed into this Body Shop mini skirt with a matching tight teal t-shirt, and of course, her leather jacket. 

Neil Hargrove went  _ wild _ for leather jackets. 

She knew Susan would be out until late for work, Max was sleeping over with Ellie Jane, and Billy was obviously with Steve. 

Bonnie had made sure to get at least on the cliff of drunk, so if Neil went too far like she knew he would, she wouldn’t freak out  _ too  _ much. 

She walks up the steps and fixes her fingerless gloves, lighting a cigarette before knocking on the door— _ fuck, this was such a  _ ** _bad_ ** _ idea. _

Neil opens it with a gruff, “What?” Before actually looking and, of course, he wolf whistles, “Well hello there, Ms. Harrington.”

Bonnie giggles, “Hello, Mr. Hargrove. I’m  _ so  _ sorry to bother you, but I got a little  _ too  _ drunk and Callahan is after me. Could I crash here?”

Neil smirks, “Of course,”

He steps aside and let’s her in, putting a hand on her back as she walks in. It takes everything in Bonnie not to  _ puke _ , she couldn’t believe she was letting him even look at her. Luckily, it wouldn’t matter soon. 

One thing leads to another and she’s “passed out” on the couch. Neil’s taken her jacket and red high heels off, sitting beside her on the couch. As he gets on top of her, her eyes fly open and she gets a dead tight grip on his throat. Fire begins to dance around her fingertips, burning his skin with a soft hiss. He can’t even scream and Bonnie can’t help but smile.

“You’ve put Billy through enough pain don’t you think?” Bonnie says, a giggle slipping through her lips. 

Neil doesn’t respond, only chokes more until he falls off the couch, lifeless. 

Bonnie sighs of relief, “Couldn’t have taken any longer?  _ Always  _ making it difficult.” 

She carries him no problem into her car, wrapping him up in a tarp she has in her trunk. She drives out to the edge of the Hawkins forest and dumps the lifeless corpse into a well, making sure to burn it for good measure. 

She brushes her hands off her skirt and huffs, “Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all.”


End file.
